The police will be charging two men and one woman, aged between 58 and 70, in court on 25 November 2021 with offences under the Betting Act and Remote Gambling Act. The trio were investigated for their involvement in illegal betting activities following an enforcement operation conducted along 8 Sentosa Gateway by officers from Clementi Division and the Criminal Investigations Department.
The 58-year-old woman had allegedly placed illegal horse bets and will be charged for betting with a bookmaker under Section 5(1) of the Betting Act. She will also be charged for acting as a bookmaker under Section 5(3)(a) of the Betting Act after allegedly breaching a 12-month conditional warning administered to her for the same offence in February 2021.
The 61-year-old man had allegedly collected an illegal horse bet and will be charged for acting as a bookmaker under Section 5(3)(a) of the Betting Act.
The 70-year-old man had allegedly collected an illegal horse bet via text messages and will be charged for providing remote gambling services under Section 9(1) of the Remote Gambling Act.
Under Section 5(1) of the Betting Act, any person who bets with a bookmaker shall be liable upon conviction to a fine not exceeding $5,000, imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months, or both. Under Section 5(3)(a) of the Betting Act, any person who is found to be involved in bookmaking shall be liable upon conviction to a fine of not less than $20,000 and not more than $200,000 and shall also be punished with imprisonment for a term not exceeding five years.
Under Section 9(1) of the Remote Gambling Act, any person providing unlawful remote gambling services for another shall be liable upon conviction to a fine of not less than $20,000 and not more than $200,000 and shall also be punished with imprisonment for a term not exceeding five years.
The Police will continue to clamp down on criminal activities, including illegal betting. Those found engaging in illicit activities will be dealt with sternly in accordance with the law.
Source: Singapore Police Force