What You Need to Know About Online Casino Gaming Laws in Singapore

The Republic of Singapore is a stable and prosperous country in Southeast Asia that is home to almost six million people. It has attracted much tourism and investment due to the high standard of living enjoyed by its citizens and its low tax rates and strong legal system.

While Singapore’s economy is developed enough to support itself, one sector that is also slowly taking off to the same extent is online casino gaming.

Singapore’s Gambling Laws

Gambling is illegal in Singapore unless it is specifically authorised by law. This means that betting on football matches, horse races, and even casino games is illegal unless granted an exemption by Singapore law.

The most important law that is relevant to online gambling in Singapore is the Remote Gambling Act, which was passed in June 2014. This act makes it an offence for anyone in Singapore to use the internet to carry out any form of “remote gambling,” whether or not money is actually placed as a bet. This means that online gambling, such as betting on football matches or even casino games, is illegal under the law if the bets are made over the internet and not in person.

Casino gaming is not allowed in Singapore. However, online casino gaming is legal under the Remote Gambling Act of 2014 (RGA). This act aims to regulate all forms of remote gambling, including online casino gaming.

The new RGA states that any person who offers or engages in remote gambling will be guilty of an offense and shall face penalties of imprisonment not exceeding six months or a fine not exceeding $10,000 or both.

However, there are exceptions to the rule that you may want to know about. Here they are:

1) Private bets with immediate family members.

The RGA allows private bets between immediate family members where the total stakes of the bet do not exceed $50.

2) Organized lotteries that are free of charge.

Since the RGA does not allow for casino games, all forms of organized lottery shall be legal under this act if participation in such lotteries is free.

3) Organized game promotions with prizes not exceeding $5,000.

Promotional contests with prizes not exceeding $5,000 are allowed under this act.

4) Games organized by the Singapore Pools.

As most of us know, the Singapore Pools offers four types of betting pools on soccer matches, horse races and numbers games. The RGA allows these games to be played within the nation as long as it is done through the Singapore Pools.

5) Games organized by a charity or a religious group.

Charity organizations and religious groups are allowed to organize games that have prizes of various values so long as it is being done for charitable purposes.

6) Canadian-style sweepstakes where winners need not be determined by chance.

Under this provision, sweepstakes that are fully transparent and where winners need not be determined by chance shall be legal under the RGA. In this case, it is believed that the organizer of the sweepstakes has a duty to ensure that all sweepstakes participants have a fair shot at winning prizes.

7) Games of pure skill.

In order for a game to qualify as a game of pure skill, it must not be based on any element of chance and the outcome can be significantly influenced by the player’s skills.

8) Games that require no payment or stake.

Games such as quizzes and contests which do not involve the payment of money, stakes or other valuables are allowed under this act.

9) Games where winnings are not determined by chance.

The organizer of the game must not determine the outcome of a game based on chance, but instead upon the skills of the player. Therefore, even though one player might have more knowledge in a particular trivia question than another player does, they should both have an equal chance at winning prizes.

Finally, as for singapore online casino gaming, the RGA allows for some forms of remote gambling. These include placing bets on horse races, soccer matches and numbers games through licensed operators like Winbig7 only.

However, this does not mean that anyone can open a casino in Singapore and there is a reason for this. The first is public order, opening a casino would be too disruptive to the public order of Singapore.

Secondly, there is no policy reason for this. Why should the government want to introduce casino gambling? The government’s belief is that people can lead healthier lives without it.

Nonetheless, online casino gaming sites such as Winbig7 under the RGA are legal in Singapore. However, you just need to remember that even though it is legal, you still may need a permit for this.

Takeaway

While it is perfectly legal for Singaporeans to play at any singapore online casino, you should choose a site with a local license. This ensures that the casino abides by all local laws and regulations, thus making your gambling experience much safer. Furthermore, playing at Singaporean licensed casinos also guarantees that you will not be losing out on bonuses or opportunities for additional value.