Betting (Amendment) Bill

Bill No. 15/1985

Read the first time on 31st October 1985.

An Act to amend the Betting Act (Chapter 95 of the Revised Edition).

Be it enacted by the President with the advice and consent of the Parliament of Singapore, as follows:

Short title and commencement

1. This Act may be cited as the Betting (Amendment) Act 1985 and shall come into operation on such date as the Minister may, by notification in the Gazette, appoint.

Amendment of section 2

2. Section 2(1) of the Betting Act is amended —

(a)

by inserting, immediately after the definition of “access”, the following definition:

“ “betting information centre” means any place kept or used for receiving or transmitting by telephone or other means any information relating to any horse-race or other sporting event for the purpose of betting or wagering in contravention of this Act;”;

(b)

by deleting paragraph (a) of the definition of “common betting-house” and substituting the following paragraph:

“(a)	any place kept or used for betting or wagering on any event or contingency of or relating to any horse-race or other sporting event to which the public or any class of the public has or may have access;”;

(c)

by inserting, immediately after the definition of “common betting-house”, the following definition:

“ “equipment” has the same meaning as in the Telecommunication Authority of Singapore Act 1982 (Act 19 of 1982);”; and

(d)

by deleting the full-stop at the end of the definition of “runner” and substituting a semi-colon, and by inserting immediately thereafter the following definitions:

“ “sporting event” includes any race, fight, game, sport or exercise;

“telecommunication system” has the same meaning as in the Telecommunication Authority of Singapore Act 1982 (Act 19 of 1982).”.

Amendment of section 3

3. Section 3 of the Betting Act is amended —

(a)	by deleting the words “to a fine not exceeding twenty thousand dollars or to imprisonment for a term which may extend to two years or to both such fine and imprisonment” in subsection (1) and substituting the words “to a fine of not less than $20,000 and not more than $200,000 and shall also be punished with imprisonment for a term not exceeding 5 years”;
(b)	by inserting, immediately after the words “common betting-house” wherever they appear therein, the words “or betting information centre”; and
(c)	by inserting, immediately after the words “common betting-houses” in the marginal note, the words “and betting information centres”.

Amendment of section 4

4. Section 4 of the Betting Act is amended by deleting the words “to a fine not exceeding ten thousand dollars or to imprisonment for a term which may extend to twelve months or to both such fine and imprisonment” and substituting the words “to a fine of not less than $10,000 and not more than $100,000 and shall also be punished with imprisonment for a term not exceeding 5 years”.

Amendment of section 5

5. Section 5 of the Betting Act is amended —

(a)

by deleting subsection (1) and substituting the following subsection:

“(1) Except as permitted by an exemption under section 22, any person who bets or wagers in a common betting-house, or with a bookmaker in any place or by any means, or who for the purpose of betting or wagering loiters in any place to which the public has or may have access shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $5,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 6 months or to both.”; and

(b)

by deleting subsection (3) and substituting the following subsection:

“(3) Any person who —

(a)	acts as a bookmaker in any place;
(b)	for the purpose of bookmaking or settling bets loiters in any common betting-house or in any place to which the public has or may have access; or
(c)	assists, by giving warning or otherwise, any person committing an offence under this Act to evade arrest or detection,

shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine of not less than $20,000 and not more than $200,000 and shall also be punished with imprisonment for a term not exceeding 5 years.”.

Repeal and re-enactment of section 6

6. Section 6 of the Betting Act is repealed and the following section substituted therefor:

“Penalty for unlawful announcement of information on horserace, etc.

6. Any person who for the purpose of betting or wagering in contravention of this Act announces or publishes or causes to be announced or published in any manner information relating to any horse-race or other sporting event shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine of not less than $5,000 and not more than $50,000 and shall also be punished with imprisonment for a term not exceeding 2 years.”.

Repeal and re-enactment of section 9

7. Section 9 of the Betting Act is repealed and the following section substituted therefor:

“Presumptions

9.—(1) Where in any proceedings under this Act it is proved that any place entered under this Act was provided with 3 or more telephones or telephone lines and —

(a)	was installed with any telecommunication system or equipment which was arranged in such a manner as to suggest that it is or was being used for the receiving or transmitting of any information relating to any horse-race or other sporting event notwithstanding that such telecommunication system or equipment has been disconnected or tampered with;
(b)	any person found in a place so entered was erasing, tampering with or destroying any writing, sign, mark or symbol relating to the results or dividends payable on any horse-race or other sporting event; or
(c)	two or more telephone calls were received at any such place enquiring about the results, commentary or dividends payable on any horse-race or other sporting event,

it shall be presumed, until the contrary is proved, that the place is a betting information centre and that it is so kept, used or permitted to be used by the owner or occupier thereof, and that any other person found in such place is assisting in the business of the betting information centre.

(2) Where in any proceedings under this Act it is proved that —

(a)	any document or thing designed, adapted, or intended for use or used for the purpose of betting or wagering was found in any place entered under this Act or upon any person found in such place;
(b)	any person found in a place entered under this Act was erasing, tampering with or destroying any writing, sign, mark or symbol relating to bets or wagers on any horse-race or other sporting event; or
(c)	two or more telephone calls were received at any place entered under this Act and the calls relate to the receiving or negotiating of bets or wagers or to any results, commentary or dividends payable on any horse-race or other sporting event,

it shall be presumed, until the contrary is proved, that the place is a common betting-house and that it is so kept, used or permitted to be used by the owner or occupier thereof, and that any other person found in such place in possession of any such document or thing as is referred to in paragraph (a) is assisting in the management of such common betting-house.”.

Repeal and re-enactment of section 17

8. Section 17 of the Betting Act is repealed and the following section substituted therefor:

“Obstruction of police officers

17. Any person who obstructs any police officer in the exercise of any powers under this Act shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $5,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding one year or to both.”.

Repeal and re-enactment of section 20

9. Section 20 of the Betting Act is repealed and the following section substituted therefor:

“Jurisdiction of courts

20. A District Court or a Magistrate’s Court shall have jurisdiction to hear and determine all proceedings under this Act and, notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in the Criminal Procedure Code (Cap. 113), shall have power to impose the full penalty or punishment in respect of any offence under this Act.”.

Amendment of section 22

10. Section 22(1) of the Betting Act is amended by deleting the words “The President may by notification in the Gazette, either generally or in particular cases, exempt” and substituting the words “The Minister may, by notification in the Gazette, either generally or in any particular case and subject to such conditions as he may impose, exempt”.

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