Singapore is enforcing its anti-online gambling laws

The Singapore Ministry of Home Affairs has reported on enforcement progress on the Remote Gaming Act, legislation designed to halt illegal online gambling in the Asian nation.

A Ministry spokesman revealed Thursday that since the Act came into force on February 2 last year more than 120 people have been arrested under its provisions, which include penalties for both players and operators.

In addition, the Ministry has overseen the blacklisting and ISP-blocking of hundreds of Internet domains, along with obstructing financial transactions with operators and blocking bank accounts and credit card payments linked to illegal online gambling services.

The spokesman revealed that in the most recent enforcement action, police aided Ministry officials in the arrest of 39 suspects in a series of raids between June and July, as part of a multinational operation led by Interpol against illegal football betting syndicates, which are estimated to have handled US$649 million.

The value of illegal bets collected by the suspects arrested in Singapore totalled more than S$2.5 million, based on preliminary investigations.