Major Crackdown on Illegal Online Gambling Sites in Singapore

_{Home Affairs Minister K. Shanmugam addresses Singapore's crackdown on illegal online gambling. (Image: Associated Press / Alamy)}

There has been a major crackdown on illegal online casinos in Singapore, with over 3,800 illegal gambling sites blocked by the Ministry for Home Affairs (MHA). 

The scale of the action is incredible, with more than 145,000 illegal gambling transactions involving the Singapore public, amounting to approximately $37 million, having been blocked as of Dec 31, 2024.  

Singapore Battling with Illegal Online Operators 

Responding to a parliamentary question from Mr. Yip Hon Weng, Home Affairs Minister K. Shanmugam said, “These blocking measures have impeded access to illegal online gambling to some extent. 

"However, this approach is clearly not foolproof, as illegal operators can easily create new websites, and we do not have the ability to know of every gambling website,” adds Shanmugam.

The Straits Times reported that Mr. Shanmugam also issued a written reply in which he encouraged the public to report to the police illegal gambling websites, apps, advertisements and bank accounts used by illegal gambling operators. 

The news also come after the announcement of stricter regulations set to be implemented at Singapore’s two integrated resorts, Marina Bay Sands and Resorts World Sentosa.

Issue of problem Gambling Raised in Singapore Parliament  

Addressing the issue of problem gambling, the Minister of Home Affairs stated that there are currently no plans to allow families of problem gamblers to request the blocking of their bank accounts, as the government believes existing measures are sufficient, with the rate of pathological and problem gambling remaining around 1%. 

The government has implemented various support initiatives, including funding counselling services. 

Amendment in Bill Aims to Protect Consumers 

In September 2024, the Casino Control (Amendment) Bill was passed, introducing new regulations for gamblers at Singapore’s casinos, such as restrictions on withdrawal of bets after results and mandates for game recordings on-site.

The bill also addressed the issue of breaching family visit limits, which had not previously been considered a crime, though only about five breaches were reported annually from 2010 to 2023.