Illegal Gambling Sentence Singapore

Offence(s) Appearance Notice by Peace Officer s. 497 Summons by Judge or Justice s. 508(1), 512(1), or 788 Release by Peace Officer on Undertaking s. 498, 499, and 501. In general, any attempts to violate the gambling-related laws of Singapore are punished by imposing fines, prison sentences, and other methods. Is Card Counting Allowed? In Singapore casinos, card counting is not considered a crime if gamblers do not use electronic devices or other equipment.

Overview

Offences relating to gambling are found in Part VII of the Criminal Code relating to 'Disorderly Houses, Gaming and Betting'.

There are three classes of offences in relation to Gambling under the Criminal Code. Those offences relate Keeping a Gaming/Betting House (201), Betting and Book-Making (202), and Placing bets on behalf of others (203).

Pleadings

Offences under s. 201(1) [keeping gaming or betting house], 202 [betting, pool-selling, book-making, etc.] and 203 [placing bets on behalf of others] are absolute jurisdiction offences under s. 553(a) and so does not have a defence election of court. It must be tried by a provincial court judge.

Offences under s. 201(2) [person found in or owner permitting use] are straight summary conviction offence. The trial must be held in provincial court.

Release

When charged under s. 201(1), 201(2), 202 or 203, the accused can be given an appearance notice without arrest under s. 497 or a summons. If arrested, he can be released by the arresting officer under s. 498 or 499 on an undertaking with or without conditions. He can also be released by a justice under s. 515.

Fingerprints and Photos

A peace officer who charges a person under s. 202 or 203 of the Code can require that person to attend for the taking of fingerprints, photographs or other similar recordings that are used to identify them under the Identification of Criminals Act.

Publication Bans

For all criminal or regulatory prosecutions, there is a discretionary general publication ban available on application of the Crown, victim or witness to prohibit the publishing of 'any information that could identify the victim or witness' under s. 486.5(1) where it is 'necessary' for the 'proper administration of justice'. Other available publication bans include prohibitions for publishing evidence or other information arising from a bail hearing (s. 517), preliminary inquiry (s. 539) or jury trial (s. 648). There is a mandatory publication ban in all youth prosecutions on information tending to identify young accused under s. 110 of the YCJA or young victims under s. 111 of the YCJA.

Offence Designations

See below in Ancillary Sentencing Orders for details on designations relating to sentencing orders.

Offence Wording

Keeping gaming or betting house

201 (1) Every person who keeps a common gaming house or common betting house is guilty of

(a) an indictable offence and liable to imprisonment for a term of not more than two years; or

(b) an offence punishable on summary conviction.

Person found in or owner permitting use

(2) Every one who

(a) is found, without lawful excuse, in a common gaming house or common betting house, or

(b) as owner, landlord, lessor, tenant, occupier or agent, knowingly permits a place to be let or used for the purposes of a common gaming house or common betting house,

is guilty of an offence punishable on summary conviction.
R.S., c. C-34, s. 185;2019, c. 25, s. 70.

Betting, pool-selling, book-making, etc.

202 (1) Every one commits an offence who

(a) uses or knowingly allows a place under his control to be used for the purpose of recording or registering bets or selling a pool;

(b) imports, makes, buys, sells, rents, leases, hires or keeps, exhibits, employs or knowingly allows to be kept, exhibited or employed in any place under his control any device or apparatus for the purpose of recording or registering bets or selling a pool, or any machine or device for gambling or betting;

(c) has under his control any money or other property relating to a transaction that is an offence under this section;

(d) records or registers bets or sells a pool;

(e) engages in book-making or pool-selling, or in the business or occupation of betting, or makes any agreement for the purchase or sale of betting or gaming privileges, or for the purchase or sale of information that is intended to assist in book-making, pool-selling or betting;

(f) prints, provides or offers to print or provide information intended for use in connection with book-making, pool-selling or betting on any horse-race, fight, game or sport, whether or not it takes place in or outside Canada or has or has not taken place;

(g) imports or brings into Canada any information or writing that is intended or is likely to promote or be of use in gambling, book-making, pool-selling or betting on a horse-race, fight, game or sport, and where this paragraph applies it is immaterial

(i) whether the information is published before, during or after the race, fight game or sport, or

(ii) whether the race, fight, game or sport takes place in Canada or elsewhere,

but this paragraph does not apply to a newspaper, magazine or other periodical published in good faith primarily for a purpose other than the publication of such information;

(h) advertises, prints, publishes, exhibits, posts up, or otherwise gives notice of any offer, invitation or inducement to bet on, to guess or to foretell the result of a contest, or a result of or contingency relating to any contest;

(i) wilfully and knowingly sends, transmits, delivers or receives any message that conveys any information relating to book-making, pool-selling, betting or wagering, or that is intended to assist in book-making, pool-selling, betting or wagering; or

(j) aids or assists in any manner in anything that is an offence under this section.

Punishment

(2) Every one who commits an offence under this section is guilty of an indictable offence and liable

(a) for a first offence, to imprisonment for not more than two years;

(b) for a second offence, to imprisonment for not more than two years and not less than fourteen days; and

(c) for each subsequent offence, to imprisonment for not more than two years and not less than three months.

R.S., 1985, c. C-46, s. 202; 2008, c. 18, s. 5.

Placing bets on behalf of others

203. Every one who

(a) places or offers or agrees to place a bet on behalf of another person for a consideration paid or to be paid by or on behalf of that other person,

(b) engages in the business or practice of placing or agreeing to place bets on behalf of other persons, whether for a consideration or otherwise, or

(c) holds himself out or allows himself to be held out as engaging in the business or practice of placing or agreeing to place bets on behalf of other persons, whether for a consideration or otherwise,

is guilty of an indictable offence and liable

(d) for a first offence, to imprisonment for not more than two years,

(e) for a second offence, to imprisonment for not more than two years and not less than fourteen days, and

(f) for each subsequent offence, to imprisonment for not more than two years and not less than three months.

R.S., c. C-34, s. 187; 1974-75-76, c. 93, s. 11.

Draft Form of Charges

See also: Draft Form of Charges

Proof of the Offences

Interpretation of the Offence

Purpose

The primary concern of s. 202 is concerned with 'bookmakers, pool sellers, gaming house keepers and their activities' as well as those who assist them. It is not concerned with those buy tickets or place bets.^[1]

'Bookmaking'

The term bookmaking refers to the profession of taking or negotiating bets, keeping betting accounts. It is not limited to horseracing.^[2]

'Betting' and 'Gaming'

Acquiring a share of a lottery ticket can be a form of gaming or betting.^[3]

Keeping Betting Devices (202(1)(b))

To make out an offence under s. 202(1)(b), the Crown is required to prove:^[4]

1. 'that the [accused] kept devices in a place under her control' (actus reus);
2. 'that these devices were gambling devices' (actus reus); and
3. 'that the [accused] knew that the devices were gambling devices and knowingly kept them'.

Recording or Registering (202(1)(d))

The recording that makes up the offence under s. 202(1)(d) must be that of the book-keeper, not the bettor.^[5]

Constitutionality

Section 199 does not violate the Charter.^[6]

The provision of s. 202(1)(b) is intra vires the authority of Parliament criminal law making powers.^[7]

1. ↑R v Michael, 1974 ALTASCAD 48 (CanLII), perMoir JA, at para 22 ('The entire section is chiefly concerned with a certain class of society, bookmakers, pool sellers, gaming house keepers and their activities. In addition, the section is aimed at those who assist or aid these people, and their activities are made criminal. Parliament has not made it a crime to buy a pool ticket or to place a bet with the bookmaker.')
2. ↑R v Decome, 1991 CanLII 3847 (QC CA)
3. ↑R v World Media Brokers Inc., 1998 CanLII 27760 (ON CJ), perFairgrieve J('... Brooke J.A.'s use of the word 'game' to describe the risking of money that could produce either a win or loss. His Lordship also observed that the accused there had been properly acquitted by the trial judge of the charge of 'placing bets for consideration', not because 'bets' were not being placed, but because there was no 'consideration' received by the accused for having done so. That, in my view, provides appellate authority for the obvious proposition, ..., that acquiring a share of a lottery ticket is a 'bet' and a lottery is a 'game', within the meaning of the Criminal Code.')
4. ↑R v Kent, 1994 CanLII 62 (SCC), [1994] 3 SCR 133
5. ↑Michael, supra, at para 20 ('In that sense they must apply to the records or register of the bookmaker and not to the mere writing of the appellant. In my view the writing by the appleeant was merely a convenient means of communicating the appellant’s selections for the day and the amounts he wished to wager on each horse to the bookmaker.')
6. ↑R v Huynh, 2009 ABQB 637 (CanLII), perHawco J
7. ↑R v J.B.L. Amusements Ltd., 1998 CanLII 18037 (NL CA), perGushue JA, at paras 8 to 14

Misc Definitions

PART VII

Disorderly Houses, Gaming and Betting

Interpretation

Definitions

197 (1) In this Part [Pt. VII – Disorderly Houses, Gaming and Betting (s. 197 to 213)],

'bet' means a bet that is placed on any contingency or event that is to take place in or out of Canada, and without restricting the generality of the foregoing, includes a bet that is placed on any contingency relating to a horse-race, fight, match or sporting event that is to take place in or out of Canada; (pari)

...
'common betting house' means a place that is opened, kept or used for the purpose of

(a) enabling, encouraging or assisting persons who resort thereto to bet between themselves or with the keeper, or

(b) enabling any person to receive, record, register, transmit or pay bets or to announce the results of betting; (maison de pari)

'common gaming house' means a place that is

(a) kept for gain to which persons resort for the purpose of playing games, or

(b) kept or used for the purpose of playing games

(i) in which a bank is kept by one or more but not all of the players,

(ii) in which all or any portion of the bets on or proceeds from a game is paid, directly or indirectly, to the keeper of the place,

(iii) in which, directly or indirectly, a fee is charged to or paid by the players for the privilege of playing or participating in a game or using gaming equipment, or

(iv) in which the chances of winning are not equally favourable to all persons who play the game, including the person, if any, who conducts the game; (maison de jeu)

'disorderly house' means a common betting house or a common gaming house; (maison de désordre)

'game' means a game of chance or mixed chance and skill; (jeu)

'gaming equipment' means anything that is or may be used for the purpose of playing games or for betting; (matériel de jeu)

'keeper' includes a person who

(a) is an owner or occupier of a place,

(b) assists or acts on behalf of an owner or occupier of a place,

(c) appears to be, or to assist or act on behalf of an owner or occupier of a place,

(d) has the care or management of a place, or

(e) uses a place permanently or temporarily, with or without the consent of the owner or occupier thereof; (tenancier)

'place' includes any place, whether or not

(a) it is covered or enclosed,

(b) it is used permanently or temporarily, or

(c) any person has an exclusive right of user with respect to it; (local ou endroit)

'public place' includes any place to which the public have access as of right or by invitation, express or implied. (endroit public)

Exception

(2) A place is not a common gaming house within the meaning of paragraph (a) or subparagraph (b)(ii) or (iii) of the definition common gaming house in subsection (1) while it is occupied and used by an incorporated genuine social club or branch thereof, if

(a) the whole or any portion of the bets on or proceeds from games played therein is not directly or indirectly paid to the keeper thereof; and

(b) no fee is charged to persons for the right or privilege of participating in the games played therein other than under the authority of and in accordance with the terms of a licence issued by the Attorney General of the province in which the place is situated or by such other person or authority in the province as may be specified by the Attorney General thereof.

Onus

(3) The onus of proving that, by virtue of subsection (2) , a place is not a common gaming house is on the accused.

Effect when game partly played on premises

(4) A place may be a common gaming house notwithstanding that

(a) it is used for the purpose of playing part of a game and another part of the game is played elsewhere;

(b) the stake that is played for is in some other place; or

(c) it is used on only one occasion in the manner described in paragraph (b) of the definition common gaming house in subsection (1) [disorderly houses, gaming and betting – definitions], if the keeper or any person acting on behalf of or in concert with the keeper has used another place on another occasion in the manner described in that paragraph.

R.S., 1985, c. C-46, s. 197;R.S., 1985, c. 27 (1st Supp.), s. 29;2014, c. 25, s. 12;2019, c. 25, s. 69.1.
[annotation(s) added]

Exemptions

Participation of Third Parties

See also: Role of the Victim and Third Parties and Testimonial Aids for Young, Disabled or Vulnerable Witnesses

Testimonial Aids

Certain persons who testify are entitled to make application for the use of testimonial aids: Exclusion of Public (s. 486), Use of a Testimonial Screen (s. 486), Access to Support Person While Testifying (s. 486.1), Close Proximity Video-link Testimony (s. 486.2), Self-Represented Cross-Examination Prohibition Order (s. 486.3), and Witness Security Order (s. 486.7).

A witness, victim or complainant may also request publication bans (s. 486.4, 486.5) and/or a Witness Identity Non-disclosure Order (s. 486.31). See also, Publication Bans, above.

On Finding of Guilt

Under s. 738, a judge must inquire from the Crown before sentencing whether 'reasonable steps have been taken to provide the victims with an opportunity to indicate whether they are seeking restitution for their losses and damages'.

Under s. 722(2), the judge must inquire '[a]s soon as feasible' before sentencing with the Crown 'if reasonable steps have been taken to provide the victim with an opportunity to prepare' a victim impact statement. This will include any person 'who has suffered, or is alleged to have suffered, physical or emotional harm, property damage or economic loss' as a result of the offence. Individuals representing a community impacted by the crime may file a statement under s. 722.2.

Sentencing Principles and Ranges

See also: Purpose and Principles of Sentencing, Sentencing Factors Relating to the Offender, and Sentencing Factors Relating to the Offence

Maximum Penalties

Offences under s. 201(1) and 202(2) are straight indictable. The maximum penalty is 2 years incarceration.

Illegal Gambling Sentence Singapore Rules

Offences under s. 201(2) are straight summary conviction offences. The maximum penalty is 2 years incarceration.

Minimum Penalties

Offences under s. 201(1) and (2) have no mandatory minimum penalties.

For offences under s. 202 and 203 have a mandatory minimum of 14 days jail on a second conviction and 3 months jail on three or more convictions there is a mandatory minimum penalty of {{{2}}}.

Available Dispositions

All dispositions are available.The judge may order a discharge (s. 730), suspended sentence (s. 731(1)(a)), fine (s. 731(1)(b)), custody (s. 718.3, 787), custody with probation (s. 731(1)(b)), custody with a fine (s. 734), or a conditional sentence (s. 742.1).

Consecutive Sentences

There are no statutory requirements that the sentences be consecutive.

Ranges

Discharges, either conditional or absolute, are a possible disposition for first-time offenders.^[1]

1. ↑R v Colosimo, 2011 MBPC 70 (CanLII), perPollack J

Ancillary Sentencing Orders

See also: Ancillary Orders

Offence-specific Orders

• None

General Sentencing Orders

General Forfeiture Orders

Record Suspensions and Pardons

Illegal Gambling Sentence Singapore Immigration

Convictions under s. 201 to 203 are eligible for record suspensions pursuant to s. 3 and 4 of the Criminal Records Act after 5 years after the expiration of sentence for summary conviction offences and 10 years after the expiration of sentence for all other offences. The offender may not have the record suspended where the offender was (1) convicted of 3 or more offences with a maximum penalty of life, and (2) for each 3 offences he 'was sentenced to imprisonment for two years or more'.

History

See also: List of Criminal Code Amendments and Table of Concordance (Criminal Code)

1985 to 2008

Betting, pool-selling, book-making, etc.

202 (1) Every one commits an offence who

(a) uses or knowingly allows a place under his control to be used for the purpose of recording or registering bets or selling a pool;

(b) imports, makes, buys, sells, rents, leases, hires or keeps, exhibits, employs or knowingly allows to be kept, exhibited or employed in any place under his control any device or apparatus for the purpose of recording or registering bets or selling a pool, or any machine or device for gambling or betting;

(c) has under his control any money or other property relating to a transaction that is an offence under this section;

(d) records or registers bets or sells a pool;

(e) engages in book-making or pool-selling, or in the business or occupation of betting, or makes any agreement for the purchase or sale of betting or gaming privileges, or for the purchase or sale of information that is intended to assist in book-making, pool-selling or betting;

(f) prints, provides or offers to print or provide information intended for use in connection with book-making, pool-selling or betting on any horse-race, fight, game or sport, whether or not it takes place in or outside Canada or has or has not taken place;

(g) imports or brings into Canada any information or writing that is intended or is likely to promote or be of use in gambling, book-making, pool-selling or betting on a horse-race, fight, game or sport, and where this paragraph applies it is immaterial

(i) whether the information is published before, during or after the race, fight game or sport, or

(ii) whether the race, fight, game or sport takes place in Canada or elsewhere,

but this paragraph does not apply to a newspaper, magazine or other periodical published in good faith primarily for a purpose other than the publication of such information;

(h) advertises, prints, publishes, exhibits, posts up, or otherwise gives notice of any offer, invitation or inducement to bet on, to guess or to foretell the result of a contest, or a result of or contingency relating to any contest;

(i) wilfully and knowingly sends, transmits, delivers or receives any message by radio, telegraph, telephone, mail or express that conveys any information relating to book-making, pool-selling, betting or wagering, or that is intended to assist in book-making, pool-selling, betting or wagering; or

(j) aids or assists in any manner in anything that is an offence under this section.

Punishment

(2) Every one who commits an offence under this section is guilty of an indictable offence and liable

(a) for a first offence, to imprisonment for not more than two years;

(b) for a second offence, to imprisonment for not more than two years and not less than fourteen days; and

(c) for each subsequent offence, to imprisonment for not more than two years and not less than three months.

R.S., c. C-34, s. 186; 1974-75-76, c. 93, s. 11.

Placing bets on behalf of others

203. Every one who

(a) places or offers or agrees to place a bet on behalf of another person for a consideration paid or to be paid by or on behalf of that other person,

(b) engages in the business or practice of placing or agreeing to place bets on behalf of other persons, whether for a consideration or otherwise, or

(c) holds himself out or allows himself to be held out as engaging in the business or practice of placing or agreeing to place bets on behalf of other persons, whether for a consideration or otherwise,

is guilty of an indictable offence and liable

(d) for a first offence, to imprisonment for not more than two years,

(e) for a second offence, to imprisonment for not more than two years and not less than fourteen days, and

(f) for each subsequent offence, to imprisonment for not more than two years and not less than three months.

R.S., c. C-34, s. 187; 1974-75-76, c. 93, s. 11.

See Also

References

Gambling in China is illegal under Chinese law^[1] and has been officially outlawed since the Communist Party took power in 1949.^[2] Any form of gambling by Chinese citizens, including online-gambling, gambling overseas, opening casinos overseas to attract citizens of China as primary customers, is considered illegal.^[3] In practice however, Chinese citizens participate in state-run lotteries, regularly travel to legal gambling centers overseas or in the special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macau and access gaming through offshore based proxy betting and online gambling companies.

Mainland China[edit]

The Chinese government operates two lotteries: the Welfare Lottery and the Sports Lottery set up in 1987 and 1994 respectively. The Chinese government does not legally consider the lotteries a form of gambling.^[4] Illegal gambling in China remains common, including unofficial lotteries, clandestine casinos, and betting in games such as mahjong and various card games. In 2010, The Daily Telegraph (UK) reported that an estimated one trillion yuan are wagered in illegal gambling every year in China. Problem gambling exists in the country, and may be more prevalent than in countries with legalized gambling.^[1]Online gambling is another outlet for illegal gambling in the country.^[4]

Various attempts have been made to establish legal casinos in mainland China, although these have been unsuccessful.

In June 2018, the Chinese Government banned all online poker applications. App stores had to remove all poker related applications, and the promotion of poker in general via all social media channels in China (Wechat, Weibo) became forbidden.^[5]

Hong Kong[edit]

While some aspects of mainland Chinese law apply in Hong Kong, certain forms of gambling are legal and regulated in Hong Kong. The Law of Hong Kong is based on English common law, having been a British territory until 1997. Gambling in Hong Kong has been regulated since 1977.^[6] The Hong Kong Jockey Club organizes much of the legal betting in the region.

Macau[edit]

Gambling in Macau has been legal since the 1850s, when it was a Portuguese colony. The region has a history of gambling on traditional Chinese games. Gambling in Macau now primarily takes place in Western-style casinos; in 2007, Macau overtook the Las Vegas Strip in gaming revenues. As of 2016,^[7] 38 casinos operate in Macau, and the region's annual gambling revenues exceed US$27.9 billion.^[8]

Offshore gambling[edit]

Legal restrictions on onshore gambling in Mainland China have contributed to the growth of overseas and online gambling sites that cater to Chinese nationals. Integrated gaming resorts in Singapore, Australia, Korea, Vietnam and the Philippines welcome growing numbers of Chinese tourists.

Proxy betting[edit]

As in person visits to offshore gambling venues can be both time consuming and attract the attention of law enforcement, proxy betting has grown in popularity, especially for VIP clients wishing to discretely place high stakes bets. In proxy betting, clients communicate with staffers wearing headsets at baccarat tables in offshore casinos. Proxy betting was outlawed in Macau in 2016 and has never been permitted in Australia or Singapore casinos, but now accounts for 40 percent of the $1 billion VIP gaming market in the Philippines, according to brokerage CICC.^[9]

Online gambling[edit]

Online gambling in Mainland China remains illegal, however internet traffic routed via VPNs, underground banking networks and payment platforms enable Mainland Chinese customers to access and remit funds to online gaming sites. According to 2019 estimates published in Economic Information Daily, an affiliate of state-owned news agency Xinhua, the annual amount bet through online gambling in the Mainland is more than one trillion yuan (US$145 billion), equivalent to nearly twice the annual income of China’s officially sanctioned lotteries.^[10]

In the Philippines alone, where Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) can register and legally operate, over a three year period from 2016 at least 100,000 Chinese nationals were estimated to have moved to Manila to work for online gambling operators as marketing agents, tech support specialists and IT engineers to serve Mandarin-speaking clientele.^[11] To side step restrictions on direct marketing of online gambling in Mainland Chinese print or social media, many online gaming sites seeking to attract Chinese customers have become shirt sponsors for English Premier League football teams. Dafabet’s sponsorship of Fulham FC and W88’s sponsorship of Wolverhampton Wanderers are just two examples of this trend.

Large betting sites like Bet365, BetPat & WilliamHill create mirror sites to bypass local controls as seen a list of how it works here SportsTalk.org in the Guardian it was commented at length that Chinese users can face jail.

See also[edit]

References[edit]

1. ^ ^abEimer, David (9 January 2010). 'China's secret gambling problem'. Daily Telegraph. Shenyang. Retrieved 1 May 2015.
2. ^'Rien ne va plus'. The Economist. 432 (9158): 25. 31 August 2019.
3. ^'Remarks by Chinese Embassy Spokesperson on Issues of Chinese Citizens concerning Gambling in the Philippines'. Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the Republic of the Philippines. 8 August 2019. Retrieved 9 August 2019.
4. ^ ^abKalenyuk, Mary (7 November 2013). 'The bets are on for gambling in China'. The World of Chinese. Retrieved 7 April 2014.
5. ^'Crackdown on online poker applications in China - Somuchpoker'. somuchpoker.com. Retrieved 2018-06-11.
6. ^Deans, Rob (2001). 'Online Gambling: Changes to Hong Kong's Gambling Legislation'. Gaming Law Review. Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.5 (6): 555–560. doi:10.1089/109218801753336166.
7. ^2016 Wynn 10-K
8. ^'Macau Gaming Summary'. University of Nevada, Las Vegas Center for Gaming Research. Retrieved 7 April 2014.
9. ^'China targets PH in offshore gambling crackdown'. Manila Bulletin. Bloomberg. 8 August 2019. Retrieved 11 August 2019.
10. ^Master, Farah (9 July 2019). 'Chinese state media target Macau's Suncity in online gambling report'. Reuters. Retrieved 10 August 2019.
11. ^Dancel, Raul (20 July 2019). 'Loan Sharks Feed Off Philippine Casino Boom'. The Straits Times. Retrieved 7 August 2019.

External links[edit]

• China Sports Lottery official website(in Chinese)