An Introduction To Sports Betting In Singapore

Find out if it is legal for sports betting in Singapore. Read this introduction to sports betting in Singapore to more about sports betting.

Singapore has strict gambling laws. As well as there being very limited opportunities to place bets physically, online gambling is, strictly speaking, prohibited. Gamblers get around this prohibition by using offshore betting sites, typically paying with cryptocurrency to keep payments and accounts anonymous.

Although sports betting opportunities are limited, parimutuel horse racing betting is available from the Singapore Pools, which also runs the country’s only legitimate lottery. Football is the favorite sport to bet on, when available, with basketball and cricket also proving popular betting subjects.

Gambling In Singapore

Although it was briefly legalized in the 1920s, betting has long been prohibited in Singapore, with successive governments pointing to societal problems as being the main reason for its prohibition. As well as some gambling machines being allowed in limited gaming rooms, there are two licensed integrated. These offer casino gambling as well as some sports betting.

Gamblers looking for sports betting in Singapore tend to turn their attention to the Internet and the proliferation of offshore betting sites. These also have the added benefit of offering access to a wide variety of different bets and sports from across the world, according to sports betting expert Harrison Broom.

Online Betting

Online betting is illegal in Singapore. The government has made it illegal for companies to offer their services to Singaporeans, but it is very difficult to police the actions of overseas companies, which has meant that players can still place bets on popular sports online. Offshore betting sites have become popular, especially those that offer cryptocurrency as a payment method.

Cryptocurrency casinos typically do not have the same stringent registration requirements as traditional casinos. Some do not require the use of personal details at all, which means gamblers can keep their spending and gambling habits private. As well as crypto casinos, there are many crypto sports betting sites for players.

Gambling Acts And Laws

There are a lot of laws that govern the country’s gambling legality. The Private Lotteries Act of 1952 prevents any entity from running a private lottery without first getting a permit from the government. The Singapore Pools offers the country’s only official lottery and also offers horse racing pool betting.

The Betting Act of 1960 was introduced because of a sharp increase in the number of betting houses at the time. It prohibits all betting in public and betting houses with a few exemptions.

The Common Gaming Houses Act of 1961 further limits public gaming houses and has a few exemptions.

The Casino Control Act 2006 was set up to allow a very restricted number of casino operations in Singapore. It requires that any casino be licensed and sets out that casino operations are only permitted within integrated resorts. Only two casinos of this type are currently licensed for operation.

2014 saw the introduction of the Remote Gambling Act. It stipulates that players are guilty of illegal gambling if they bet on any lottery or other online game that is not licensed or permitted by the state.

Where Can You Place Sports Bets?

The Singapore Pools offers parimutuel betting on horse racing events. Players can bet online, as well as at betting centers, and players can also take part at the Singapore Racecourse on race days. The two casinos do offer some sports betting facilities, too, and entry to the casinos is free for visitors, but there is a cost for Singaporeans to get into the venues.

How People Bet Online

Online betting is prohibited in Singapore, but gamblers do still place wagers online. Because sites are prohibited, it can be difficult to access some of the big names. Players get around this by using virtual private networks.

VPNs enable users to access websites and browse the Internet via remote servers. As well as being useful for getting access to different Pokemon while playing Pokemon Go, a bettor can use a VPN to log onto a betting site using a server located in the UK or another part of the world where gambling is legal. The site won’t be able to determine where the player is located.

However, KYC registration details are required for a lot of sites. Know Your Customer details include name and address details, which would give away the fact that a person is from Singapore. However, there are no KYC casinos. These casinos generally use cryptocurrency rather than fiat payments and they do not require any registration details. Crypto casinos can also offer substantial bonuses and jackpots, and most offer access to sports events from around the world, including in Singapore.

Favorite Sports To Bet On

Horse racing is obviously a favorite betting sport in Singapore because it is the only sport that has legal betting opportunities. Singapore Turf Club is the only legally recognized and licensed horse racing track in the country. The Singapore Premier League is the country’s elite football league. There is one tier of the league, and nine teams compete for the title. Football’s popularity makes it a popular event for sports betting. Basketball, badminton, and table tennis are also popular and offer some betting lines.

Conclusion

Singapore has strict betting laws that prohibit physical and online gambling. Sports betting opportunities are severely restricted, primarily to players at the country’s two casinos and users of Singapore Pools. However, players do manage to place bets online using VPNs to bypass blocks and cryptocurrency payments to remain anonymous.