Illegal Gambling Singapore Law

As of 1 January 2020, attempting suicide is not illegal in Singapore. A person who attempts suicide will not be punished for trying.

Violators of this law can cost the offender up to two years in prison. Jaywalking is a term that was first coined in the U.S. And is now widely used in many countries. It refers to the reckless or illegal crossing of pedestrians on roads. In Singapore, jaywalking mainly refers to crossing the street in non-designated areas. Singapore News - When police raided a flat in Chay Yan Street in Tiong Bahru on Saturday night, they found a man having sex with a woman believed to be an illegal sex worker. The officers used a.

  • Online gambling is illegal in Singapore. That means that there are no domestic based online gambling providers and that using overseas based sites is a criminal offence punishable by fine, imprisonment or both. For many Singapore citizens, therefore, the issue of deposit methods is not one which even enters the equation.
  • SINGAPORE — More than 120 people have been arrested for illegal online gambling since the Remote Gambling Act came into effect on Feb 2 last year.

However, if a police officer has reasons to suspect that a person is about to attempt suicide, or has attempted suicide, the officer will have certain powers to try and stop the attempt, and to prevent the person from getting hurt.

These powers include:

  • Searching places (and forcibly gaining entry into these places if necessary)
  • Searching people and removing all items found on them, except their clothes
  • Searching for documents related to the suicide attempt
  • Seizing and preventing the disposal of items related to the suicide attempt

Will a Person Who Succeeds in Committing Suicide Still Get Punished?

A person who succeeds and dies as a result of suicide in Singapore will also not be punished, for obvious reasons. The urban legend that a deceased person who dies via suicide will have his corpse handcuffed and arrested, and/or whipped as punishment, is merely a myth.

Instead, when a person dies by suicide, police procedure is to first check for vital signs. (If the person had hanged himself, the police will cut the person down first before checking for vital signs.)

The police will then secure the scene for further investigations. At the same time, the body is put into a body bag and transported via a police hearse to the Health Sciences Authority mortuary. There, a pathologist will examine the body to determine the cause of death.

Will a Person Who Encourages Another to Commit Suicide be Punished?

A person found guilty of abetting suicide (i.e. aiding another in attempting suicide) will be punished with a fine and also a jail term of up to 10 years, pursuant to section 306 of the Penal Code. This is especially so if such an abettor is motivated by malicious intentions.

Also, under section 305 of the Penal Code, if the person who attempted suicide was a minor, or lacked the capacity to understand the consequences of attempting or committing suicide:

  • The abettor is liable for either the death penalty or life imprisonment, or up to 20 years’ jail and a fine, if the suicide attempt succeeded
  • The abettor is liable for life imprisonment, or up to 20 years’ jail and a fine, if the suicide attempt failed and the attempter suffered hurt in the process
  • The abettor is liable for up to 15 years’ jail and a fine if the suicide attempt failed and the attempter was not hurt

A minor refers to someone under 18 years old. On the other hand, a person lacking of capacity refers to someone unable to understand the consequences of suicide, whether due to situations such as having a mental condition, or being under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

Does a Doctor Commit an Offence by Turning Off a Person’s Life Support?

In contrast, as long as a person is above 21 years of age, he can sign a legal document known as an Advance Medical Directive. This document allows him to inform his doctor that he does not wish to be given life-sustaining treatment in the event that he is unconscious with a terminal illness such that he is unable to make his wishes known at that point in time.

In such cases, given the patient’s express consent, the doctor will not be held as an abettor of suicide if he switches off life support and allows the patient to die.

Life Can be a Struggle, But Know That You’re Not Alone

If you or someone you know in Singapore needs help, you can call the following helplines:

Illegal Gambling Act Singapore

  • Samaritans of Singapore: 1800-221-4444
  • Singapore Association for Mental Health: 1800-283-7019
  • Institute of Mental Health’s Mental Health Helpline: 6389 2222
  • Silver Ribbon: 6386 1928
  • Tinkle Friend (for primary school students): 1800-274-4788
  • Care Corner Counselling Centre (Mandarin): 1800-353-5800

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Gambling is tightly controlled in Singapore so if you’re living in the country it’s important to be aware of the current situation.

Check out the key info you need to know if you want to gamble online in our guide to Singapore gambling below.

Key Facts: Online Gambling In Singapore

  • Most forms of gambling technically illegal in Singapore.
  • Regulated by Ministry of Home Affairs & Gambling Suppression branch of police force.
  • Some legalised offline gambling in casinos, with Singapore Turf Club & Totalisator Board.
  • Singapore Pools the only legal online gambling site.
  • Players have been prosecuted for using international sites.

Note: if you’re living in Singapore we do not recommend using international sites for online gambling. Prison time and hefty fines await those caught and prosecuted for doing so.

Gambling Timeline: Laws & Legislation

Singapore has a great deal of legislation related to gambling, most of which deals with the prohibition of the activity. The following timeline covers the main examples of that legislation:

Illegal Gambling Singapore Laws

1960 – Betting Act

In 1960, Singapore passed the Betting Act in order to ‘suppress common betting-houses, betting in public places and bookmaking’. The act essentially prohibits all of those activities, but does allow leeway for certain organisations to be exempted from the act by the relevant authorities.

1961 – Common Gaming Houses Act

Similar to the Betting Act, the 1961 Common Gaming Houses Act was designed for the ‘suppression of common gaming houses, public gaming and public lotteries’. Once again, the ability for authorities to grant exemptions was enshrined within the act.

1998 – Singapore Turf Club Exemption

It was in 1998 that the Singapore Turf Club was granted its exemption from the 1960 Betting Act. This allowed the organisation to offer and to advertise horse racing betting in Singapore, Malaysia or overseas at approved locations.

2004 – Singapore Totalisator Board Exemption

Illegal Gambling Singapore Law Firms

Six years later in 2004, the Singapore Totalisator Board was granted its own exemption from the Betting Act. This exemption allowed the organisation to carry out lotteries and to offer football betting on matches at home and abroad as well as a selection of further sports betting.

2006 – Casino Control Act

Singapore’s 2006 Casino Control Act made provision for the operation and regulation of casinos within Singapore. It stipulated that only two casinos could be licensed, introduced certain levies which had to be paid by players at those casinos and established organisations to combat problem gambling.

2014 – Remote Gambling Act

It is Singapore’s 2014 Remote Gambling Act which essentially makes all online gambling in Singapore illegal. The act states that any individual who ‘gambles using remote communication and using a remote gambling service that is not provided by an exempt operator’ is guilty of an offence.

It also states that such an individual is liable..

on conviction to a fine not exceeding $5,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 6 months or to both.

Illegal Gambling Singapore Law

Potential punishments for providers of unlawful remote gambling are also set down and are even harsher. Once again, exemptions are within the gift of the Singapore government.

2015 – Remote Gambling (Exempt Persons) Order

This addendum to the previous year’s act states that ‘if a person provides a remote gambling service for participation in an incidental lottery, customer lottery or non-commercial organisation lottery, that person is exempted from’ the Remote Gambling Act.

2016 – Potential Remote Gambling Exemptions

Illegal Gambling Singapore Law Firm

As of summer 2016 there have yet to be any official exemptions to the Remote Gambling Act granted by the government. It is believed by some, however, that both the Singapore Turf Club and the Singapore Pools could soon be granted the first two.

Do Players Get Taxed On Winnings?

As has been discussed in length above, all online gambling in Singapore is illegal and as such there is no mechanism – or possibility – for the collection of tax on online gambling winnings by the Singapore authorities.

When it comes to the legalised land-based gambling available in Singapore, there is no income tax applied to winnings but there are other levies. The Casino Control Act, for instance, states that ‘a citizen or permanent resident of Singapore cannot enter into or remain in a casino unless an entry levy of $100 for every consecutive period of 24 hours or $2,000 for an annual membership is paid to the casino’.

Online Deposit Options & Methods

Online gambling is illegal in Singapore. That means that there are no domestic based online gambling providers and that using overseas based sites is a criminal offence punishable by fine, imprisonment or both. For many Singapore citizens, therefore, the issue of deposit methods is not one which even enters the equation.

Some, however, do still take part in online gambling in spite of the strict legislation in place. The most popular betting deposit options are credit and debit cards (including American Express).

Illegal Gambling Singapore Law Enforcement

In years gone by Singapore residents could also turn to Neteller and Skrill but since both e-wallets have been banned Webmoney is now a popular choice as well as Bitcoin.