The state of affairs for Singapore online gambling is not dissimilar to that of many other Asian countries. The country is multi-religious and a good many of those religions take a dim view of all gambling. Most gambling is illegal, and Singapore is run by a religion-influenced government. However, this “illegal” might not be the dictionary definition of illegal. That’s especially true when it comes to Singapore online gambling. The government does show considerable effort and aggression in clamping down on illegal online gambling, it’s continually proving to be an uphill battle.
For one, it is difficult to police online activity – any kind of online activity. Technology is evolving at a crazy rate. With the help of VPNs and proxy servers, people are able to access and use practically any blocked website. Secondly, things are changing rapidly elsewhere in Asia and the rest of the world. Gambling is slowly but surely getting legalized and, with certain controls in place, becoming more socially acceptable.
Singapore Online Gambling – Legal or Illegal?
In a nutshell, Singapore online gambling is not illegal. However, it is only legal when done under certain parameters. Legal guidance on all Singapore online gambling or betting activity is provided under the RGA – Remote Gambling Act. The RGA allows citizens to gamble online, yes, but only via two licensed operators. These are Singapore Pools and Singapore Turf Club.
Singapore Pools: founded in 1968. This is a state-run company and the only legal provider of Singapore online gambling for sports, motor racing and lotteries.
Singapore Turf Club: created in 1842 as the SSC (Singapore Sporting Club). It is the sole horse racing club in the country, and only legal provider betting for horse racing. The Singapore Turf Club doesn’t have online betting services per se, but offers operator-assisted remote gambling via telephone. As of 2022, the Singapore Turf Club is transferring horse betting services to Singapore Pools as part of a strategic move. Singapore Pools now provides online betting for horse races on behalf of Singapore Turf Club.
There are a few land casinos exempt from the ban, but online casinos in Singapore are an absolute no no. The Singapore online gambling situation is continually evolving, though. It is probable that the government will loosen its tight control of the industry, granting certificates to more private players.
Singapore Online Gambling – Other Sites
As we’ve already seen, the government criminalizes most forms of Singapore online betting. However, the ban is really difficult to enforce and a good section of the population still gamble. How is this possible? A good number of international online casinos and sports bookmakers accept punters from Singapore. Most of them have a strong presence on the Asian continent. There are dozens of them but here are two of the standout ones:
1XBET
1xBet is based in Russia. Having enjoyed stellar initial growth in Eastern Europe, they’re extending their reach elsewhere in the world. With its solid reputation and history 1xBet, is now has great acclaim in Asia, offering both sports betting opportunities and online casino. You can bet about any sport under the sun with 1xBet. Their casino, on its part, offers a good array of slot games and well as exotic games like roulette and baccarat.
SBOTOP
SBOTOP is another international operator offering excellent online gambling opportunities in Asia, including Singapore. A standout merit of SBOTOP is a good, wide range of sports markets to choose from. Expert punters looking to diversify from the staple moneyline markets will enjoy this. Add that to the practicability and convenience of their mobile apps.
