Police seize S$1.2 million and arrest 31 men in operation against unlawful World Cup gambling

SINGAPORE – Approximately S$1,250,000 in cash was seized when the police rounded up 31 men for their suspected involvement in illegal World Cup betting under the Remote Gambling Act.

The police said in a media release on Tuesday (July 3) night that the suspects are believed to have placed and received illegal bets amounting to more than S$4,000,000 in the past two weeks.

The nationalities of the suspects, who range from the age of 22 and 74, are currently unknown.

The police said the arrests were part of an island-wide operation on Monday that saw raids being carried out in areas that included Tampines, Ang Mo Kio, Chinatown, Balestier, Sengkang, Hougang, Bukit Batok, Boon Lay, Jalan Sultan, Sembawang and Orchard Road.

Aside from the cash, an array of computers, mobile phones and other documents such as betting records were also seized.

Investigations against all the suspects are ongoing.

Commenting on the enforcement actions, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Investigation & Intelligence) and concurrent Director of the Criminal Investigation Department Florence Chua said: "This operation was conducted as part of the Police's ongoing efforts to stamp out unlawful remote gambling, especially during the ongoing FIFA World Cup 2018."

She reiterated that the police takes a serious view against such illegal activities and warned that they will continue to take tough enforcement actions against those who flout the law, "including those who assist remote gambling syndicates in any way".

Under the Remote Gambling Act 2014, any person who provides unlawful remote gambling services for another shall be liable on conviction to a fine of not less than S$20,000 and not more than S$200,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding five years or to both.