Online gambling in Singapore
Aside from the Government incorporated Singapore Pools (Toto, 4D, Singapore Sweep, Scratchit, limited sports bets) and Singapore Turf Club, gambling in Singapore was until 2005 a no go zone. Pursuant to the Betting Act and The Common Gaming Houses Act (the Acts), conducting a sports betting operation or ‘Common Gaming House’ or participating in such betting activity were illegal.
With a high propensity to gamble, Singaporeans have historically been forced to either splurge on the Singapore Pools, which enjoys one of the largest per capita gross lottery turnovers in the world, or travel to Genting Highlands in Malaysia or further afield to play casino games. ‘Cruises to nowhere’ are also a popular option with operators like Star Cruise, the world’s third largest cruise ship operator taking passengers to international waters where they can open their onboard casinos. Around 9 million passengers board ships from the Singapore Cruise Centre each year – many of them to gamble.
The Singaporean gambling landscape changed significantly in 2005 when the government, in an effort to reach an ambitious target of doubling tourism arrivals to 17 million annually by 2015, gave the green light or two enormous casino developments. The Marina Bay Sands – a US$5.5 billion behemoth developed by Las Vegas Venetian owner Sheldon G. Adelson opened its doors in April 2010 just 2 months after Asian gambling giant Genting International opened their Resorts World Sentosa – a US$4.9 billion project on the Sentosa Island. While the casinos will be open to Singaporean locals they will be charged S$100 per visit or S$2,000 annually – the government’s concession to vocal opposition to the casinos from problem gambling groups. Foreigners of course will be able to enter for free.
Existing gambling laws have been amended accordingly to allow for the transformation of the Island into a gambling Mecca, but not to liberalise the approach to gambling generally. While the strict definition of ‘Common Gaming House’ as it would apply to an online operation is untested, it is clear that the government’s intent is to keep a tight hold on all of their resident’s gaming action and as such online play is tolerated only in the shadows.
[Update October 2014]
On Tuesday 7 October 2014, Singapore’s Remote Gambling Act was passed by Parliament. The Act is largely prohibitory in nature prescribing fines for individuals caught gambling online and operators accepting bets online from Singapore residents. Exemptions are possible for Singapore-based and not-for-profit organizations. The law also authorities the power to order ISP’s to block access to chosen websites.
The law takes effect from February 2015.
Best live casino for Singaporean players
Live dealer casinos currently welcoming Singapore players include:
 Casinos |  Player access |  Banking | Toll free support | Local language | Games |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Read review | Visit | No restrictions on Singapore player sign-ups | No deposit restrictions. Maintain account in USD | No | No | Multiple platforms, many games… baccarat, blackjack, roulette |