Unlawful conduct of betting operations, gaming or lotteries
18.—(1)  A person must not conduct any betting operation, or conduct gaming or any lottery, unless the person is one of the following:
(a)a person granted a licence authorising the person to provide a gambling service involving, as the case may be —
(i)conducting that betting operation or a betting operation of that kind;
(ii)conducting gaming or gaming of that kind; or
(iii)conducting that lottery or a lottery of that kind;
(b)a class licensee authorised under a class licence to provide a gambling service involving, as the case may be —
(i)conducting that betting operation or a betting operation of that kind;
(ii)conducting gaming or gaming of that kind; or
(iii)conducting that lottery or a lottery of that kind;
(c)an employee of a licensee mentioned in paragraph (a) or a class licensee mentioned in paragraph (b), who is conducting the betting operation or conducting gaming or a lottery —
(i)on behalf of, or in accordance with arrangements made by, his or her employer; and
(ii)in connection with the gambling service that is authorised by the licence or class licence of the licensee or class licensee;
(d)a gambling service agent (or an employee thereof) of a licensee mentioned in paragraph (a) or a class licensee mentioned in paragraph (b), which is conducting the betting operation or conducting gaming or a lottery —
(i)on behalf of, or in accordance with arrangements made by, the licensee or class licensee; and
(ii)in connection with the gambling service that is authorised by the licence or class licence of the licensee or class licensee;
(e)a person exempt from this section in relation to whichever of the following that is applicable:
(i)conducting that betting operation or a betting operation of that kind;
(ii)conducting gaming or gaming of that kind; or
(iii)conducting that lottery or a lottery of that kind;
(f)a person granted a casino licence to conduct that betting operation, gaming or lottery within a casino (or an employee thereof) and where the betting operation, gaming or lottery is conducted within the casino.
(2)  Subject to subsection (3), a person who contravenes subsection (1) shall be guilty of an offence and —
(a)shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $500,000 and shall also be punished with imprisonment for a term not exceeding 7 years; but
(b)where the person is a repeat offender, shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $700,000 and shall also be punished with imprisonment for a term not exceeding 10 years.
(3)  However, a person who contravenes subsection (1) by engaging in conduct described in section 6(2), 8(3) or 10(2) shall be guilty of an offence and —
(a)shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $200,000 and shall also be punished with imprisonment for a term not exceeding 5 years; but
(b)where the person is a repeat offender, shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $300,000 and shall also be punished with imprisonment for a term not exceeding 7 years.
(4)  The following offences are each a countable offence for the purpose of the reference in subsection (2) or (3) to a “repeat offender”:
(a)an offence under section 3 of the Betting Act 1960 repealed by this Act;
(b)an offence under section 4 or 5 of the Common Gaming Houses Act 1961 repealed by this Act;
(c)an offence under section 9, 10 or 11 of the Remote Gambling Act 2014 repealed by this Act.
(5)  An offence under this section is an arrestable offence.
(6)  Strict liability applies to an offence under this section.
Betting operation, etc., outside of approved gambling venue
19.—(1)  A person must not conduct any betting operation, or conduct any gaming or any lottery in or from any place or premises in Singapore that is not an approved gambling venue for the conduct of that betting operation, gaming or lottery (as the case may be) if the person knows, or ought reasonably to have known, that the place or premises is not an approved gambling venue for the conduct of that betting operation, gaming or lottery.
(2)  Subject to subsection (3), a person who contravenes subsection (1) shall be guilty of an offence and —
(a)shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $500,000 and shall also be punished with imprisonment for a term not exceeding 7 years; but
(b)where the person is a repeat offender, shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $700,000 and shall also be punished with imprisonment for a term not exceeding 10 years.
(3)  However, a person who contravenes subsection (1) by engaging in conduct described in section 6(2), 8(3) or 10(2) shall be guilty of an offence and —
(a)shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $200,000 and shall also be punished with imprisonment for a term not exceeding 5 years; but
(b)where the person is a repeat offender, shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $300,000 and shall also be punished with imprisonment for a term not exceeding 7 years.
(4)  The following offences are each a countable offence for the purpose of the reference in subsection (2) or (3) to a “repeat offender”:
(a)an offence under section 3 of the Betting Act 1960 repealed by this Act;
(b)an offence under section 4 or 5 of the Common Gaming Houses Act 1961 repealed by this Act;
(c)an offence under section 9, 10 or 11 of the Remote Gambling Act 2014 repealed by this Act.
(5)  An offence under this section is an arrestable offence.
(6)  This section does not extend to engaging in conduct —
(a)within a casino; or
(b)authorised by a class licence.
Gambling with unlicensed gambling service provider or at unlawful gambling place
20.—(1)  An individual (A) commits an offence if —
(a)A gambles with another person (B) using a gambling service provided by B;
(b)B is providing the gambling service in contravention of section 18(1); and
(c)A knows, or ought reasonably to have known, that B is providing the gambling service in contravention of section 18(1).
(2)  An individual commits an offence if —
(a)the individual gambles with another person in or from any place or premises in Singapore; and
(b)the individual knows, or ought reasonably to have known, that the place or premises is an unlawful gambling place.
(3)  An individual who is guilty of an offence under subsection (1) or (2) shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $10,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 6 months or to both.
(4)  An offence under this section is an arrestable offence.
Having financial interest in unlawful gambling service
21.—(1)  A person commits an offence if —
(a)the person has a financial interest in a gambling service; and
(b)the gambling service is being provided in contravention of section 18(1) or 19(1).
(2)  However, a person is not guilty of an offence under subsection (1) if the person proves, on a balance of probabilities, that the person —
(a)at the time of acquiring the financial interest in the gambling service, did not know, and had no reasonable cause to suspect, that the gambling service was being or would be provided in contravention of section 18(1) or 19(1); and
(b)as soon as practicable after becoming aware that the gambling service was being provided in contravention of section 18(1) or 19(1), took all reasonable steps to divest the person’s financial interest.
(3)  In this section, “financial interest” in a gambling service means an entitlement to receive —
(a)any of the income from the gambling service; or
(b)a percentage or share from —
(i)any amount of any bet received, negotiated or accepted;
(ii)any amount wagered on a game of chance conducted or to be conducted; or
(iii)any amount of money or money equivalent paid or given by the participants of a lottery conducted or to be conducted,
in the course of providing the gambling service.
(4)  A person who is guilty of an offence under subsection (1) —
(a)shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $500,000 and shall also be punished with imprisonment for a term not exceeding 7 years; but
(b)where the person is a repeat offender, shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $700,000 and shall also be punished with imprisonment for a term not exceeding 10 years.
(5)  The following offences are each a countable offence for the purpose of the reference in subsection (4) to a “repeat offender”:
(a)an offence under section 3 of the Betting Act 1960 repealed by this Act;
(b)an offence under section 6 of the Common Gaming Houses Act 1961 repealed by this Act.
(6)  An offence under this section is an arrestable offence.
(7)  Strict liability applies to an offence under subsection (1).
Singapore Statutes Online
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Last updated 8 Sep 2024
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