Muis urges Muslims to guard against online gambling

SINGAPORE — The highest Islamic authority in Singapore has urged Muslims to take steps to guard against online gambling, which it described as “an extremely worrying trend”, amid concerns about the Government’s decision to exempt two lottery operators from the online gambling ban.

In Friday (Oct 14)’s Friday sermon, the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (Muis) said technology today has made it easier to indulge in “transgressions and misdeeds”, among them pornography and online gambling.

“Online gambling is an extremely worrying trend and it requires our utmost attention. It has the potential to not only affect the individual involved, but also the entire family and community. When a person becomes addicted, they are more prone to lose control of themselves and to spiral into lawlessness,” said Muis. “That is why Islam firmly prohibits gambling.”

Last month, the Government exempted Singapore Pools and Singapore Turf Club from the Remote Gambling Act, which prohibits gambling via websites, phones or smart devices. The aim was to provide a “safer space” for online gamblers, instead of forcing gamblers to turn to illegal options.

This prompted criticism from the National Council of Churches, which urged the Government to reconsider the move, which it said sends “confusing and conflicting signals”. A “tightly-controlled valve” to minimise law-and-order concerns cannot be the best option, the organisation said.

On Wednesday, the Catholic Church in Singapore joined the chorus of concerns, and urged the Government to “continually review” measures to minimise the ill effects of online gambling.

In response to the criticism, the Government and several ministers have said that a tightly controlled system was better than an outright ban on online gambling, which would drive the activity underground and make it harder to detect.

Safeguards would also be introduced. For instance, a punter who wants to open a player account has to be at least 21 years old and show up at an outlet for identity verification.

In Friday’s sermon, Muis urged Muslims to educate their children on the ill consequences of gambling, and ensure that they and their families are registered on the list of those not permitted to partake in any licensed gambling activities.

“We should also monitor the websites that are visited and frequented by our family members to ensure that their actions are aligned to the Islamic teachings and values,” Muis added.

It further warned that many gamblers have ended up bankrupt, affecting their families.

“There are people who might argue that it is not a problem as long as gambling does not become habitual, or is only done through social media. However, research has shown that those who become addicted to gambling began as ‘social gamblers’,” Muis said.