Participation in lotteries, as defined by the RGA, ‘betting’ encompasses placing a wager with money or money’s value on the result of a race or athletic event.’ According to the EUBet SG, “gaming” refers to any game incorporating an element of chance or a combination between the two, in which participants have a chance to win money or money’s value. For example, playing a game of mah-jong with your pals without using any money is not covered by the EUBET Singapore legal. A public lottery is defined as a lottery to which the general public or any class of the general public has or may have access. EUBET also regulates public lotteries “lottery” refers to any game or competition in which money is awarded based on chance, whether or not the lottery is conducted or organized in Singapore itself.
In Singapore, when exactly can you legally gamble?
The EUBET Singapore legal to gamble in a “common gaming house.” The term “common gaming house” refers to any location that is open to the public, whether or not it is used for gambling, habitual gaming, or public lottery. As a result, whether or not a person’s gambling behaviour crosses the line into unlawful conduct is dependent on whether or not the gambling location is utilized just for gaming.
Gambling in the privacy of one’s own home
- Even though the EUBET does not define private gaming, it is usually understood to mean gambling in a location where the general public does not have access (e.g. at home).
- It is illegal to engage in private gambling if the establishment where it is done is designated as a “common gaming house.”
- A fine of up to $5,000 or a period of imprisonment of up to six months, or even both, may be imposed on anybody found guilty of gambling in a common gaming establishment.
Taking a chance in public
- As a general rule, any facility where 10 or more people work is considered a public venue where people may gamble.
- Gambling in a public place is a crime. For example, as a void deck is a public space, gambling may be prohibited at funerals performed there.
- A punishment of up to $5,000 or six months in jail, or both, will be imposed on anybody found guilty of gambling in a public area. Additionally, their gaming devices might be confiscated and forfeited.
The act of wagering money with a bookmaker
The EUBET Singapore legal Betting Act governs the activity of bookmakers. A bookmaker is someone who accepts or negotiates bets or wagers for money or money’s value in cash or credit under the Betting Act. A person commits an offense if they place a bet or wager with a private bookmaker (commonly known as a “bookie”) in any location or by any method. Offenders who violate this rule face a fine of up to $5,000, up to six months in jail, or both. Singapore Pools and the Tote Board, as well as the licensed casinos here, are all excluded from the new law.