History of Gambling in Singapore
Singapore is an island city state in southern Malaysia. It has two large casinos, a state-run lottery system called "Singapore Pools" and a racetrack. Singapore is also a global financial center, providing accommodation for tourists and multicultural residents in tropical regions. Although there are only two casinos here, Singapore is ranked fourth in the world for gambling-related revenues after the United States, Macau and Canada. Since its opening, Singapore’s casino revenue has consistently ranked among the top ten in the world. Perhaps the most surprising thing is that 60% of their customers are Singaporeans. According to some research, Singapore ranks first in the largest casino spend per adult per year.
In the past few years, some factors have caused turbulence in Macau, and total income has declined. These factors include the slow recovery of China’s economy, and Beijing’s ongoing anti-corruption crackdowns. Since 2016, Singaporean casino operators have begun to shift their focus from VIP gambling to mass market participation in order to adapt to the changing environment.
The first legal gambling in Singapore started in 1968 when the government launched the Singapore Pools. The lottery was created to curb illegal gambling in the country and basically eliminated the illegal gambling groups that once ruled the region. However, the history of gambling in Singapore can be traced back to a century before. Singapore Turf Club was founded in 1842 as the Singapore Sporting Club to operate the Serangoon Road Race Course at Farrer Park Field.
Alongside state lotteries and a large amount of gambling that is informal, Singapore has two large resort casinos, that place third, behind Las Vegas and Macau in terms of gross revenue. The main ethnic groups in Singapore have distinct cultural ties to gambling, which includes the active participation of the Chinese and the religious prohibition of the Malay. A variety of treatment and prevention services have been designed in order to limit the potential negative consequences.
The gambling industry is considered to be a burgeoning industry, and traditional casinos on the territory of the country are booming. As for remote gambling activities, Singapore authorities have taken comprehensive actions to completely ban gambling and do not allow Singaporean players to participate in online gambling activities.
For a long time, the Singaporean authorities have been reluctant to involve in the casino industry. However, the situation changed when Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong announced the establishment of two casinos in Marina Bay and Sentosa in 2005. The legalization of casinos in Singapore has allowed Singapore to remain competitive in the region and has given the tourism industry of Singapore a significant boost.
Since then, Singapore has become the second most visited and influential gambling destination in Asia, with an annual revenue of more than US$6 billion. According to Singapore law, players should pay the entrance fee based on their nationality. Singapore residents pay more money than foreigners. This is because the gambling authorities want to prevent its own citizens from engaging in gambling activities and therefore protect them from gambling addiction.
Nevertheless, the stiff entrance fee for Singaporeans has changed the landscape for online gambling. Online gambling is becoming more and more popular among its residents. Not only they do not have to pay the entrance fee, most online casinos will provide more exciting options to make them more attractive. In addition to the usual table games and slot machines, online casinos also offer sports betting, such as football betting. Some online sports books also accept cockfight betting.
Moreover, Singapore lacks clear laws on online gambling, allowing a large number of its residents to visit online casinos with international gambling licenses. These sites have proper licenses and are technically allowed to accept players from Singapore.
Gambling has been a popular activity in Singapore since the 19th century, when a Betel Box gambling game was invented. While the legality of it was often questioned, wagering activities were still present within public clubs and even the upper classes of society. This trend continued until 2005, when legislative measures were taken to legalize casinos in some areas of the country. Popular gambling options such as 4D and Toto lottery games, slot machines and sports betting have been available ever since. As more and more regulations are put in place to curb problem gambling, citizens are reminded to always gamble responsibly for entertainment purposes only.
