Singapore Plans Web Crackdown

The government of Singapore plans to impose strict limits on online gambling with measures that are likely to include website blocking, shutting down payment services and prohibiting advertising.

The government will seek public feedback on the new regime, after which the regulations will be published sometime after January.

Estimates say online gaming in the country was at about $300 million a year. Reports say that about 245 largely unregulated sites operate in the country.

At a recent symposium on casino regulation, Minister for Home Affairs S Iswaran emphasized the need to “maintain law and order and to minimize the potential harm, especially to the young and vulnerable,” as the reason for the proposed restrictions.

“As an extension of our current laws, the government intends to restrict remote gambling by making it illegal unless there are specific exemptions,” he said. “We will introduce new laws to give our enforcement agencies the powers to act against facilitators, intermediaries and providers of remote gambling services.”