Singapore gamblers may be able to place their bets online legally as early as the second half of next month. The change against illicit gambling on unauthorised websites will take place if the application by Singapore-based lottery operators Singapore Pools and Singapore Turf Club (STC) get the green light from the Ministry of Home Affairs.
According to The Straits Times, both lottery operators “are running final tests on their online betting platforms and have prepared advisories for staff and customers” as they are hoping to be exempted from the Remote Gambling Act (RGA) by the end of September.
Remote Gambling Act, passed in February 2015, prohibits all online gambling sites in Singapore, outlawing telephone betting and all online gambling activities. However, many overseas operators offer online gambling and it is believed that by legalising the Singapore Pools and Singapore Turf Club (STC) illegal online operators will be stopped.
An operator could be exempted from the RGA if it was a not-profit organisation contributing to public, social and charitable causes in Singapore. Both STC and Singapore Pools meet these criteria. They are non-profit organisations operated by the Singapore Totalisator Board (Tote Board), a statutory board under the Ministry of Finance, and their gaming wins are channelled to the board for charitable and social causes
However, no decision has been made yet. The only comment from the Ministry of Home Affairs regarding the matter was that it is evaluating applications from Singapore Pools and STC.
