Online gambling in Singapore is heavily restricted, not open. Only one operator - the state-linked Singapore Pools - is licensed by the Gambling Regulatory Authority (GRA) to run legal online gambling, and only for sports betting and lotteries. Every other online casino, poker site, offshore sportsbook or crypto-gambling platform is illegal, and participating in unlicensed remote gambling can bring a fine of up to S$10,000 and/or up to six months in jail. Crypto gambling is specifically shut out. Good news for winners: casual winnings are not taxed.

Singapore runs one of the world’s strictest online-gambling regimes. Under the Gambling Control Act 2022, all gambling is prohibited unless licensed or exempted by the GRA. In practice, Singapore Pools is the only provider permitted to offer legal online gambling, and its remit is limited to sports betting (mainly football and motor racing) and lotteries such as Toto and 4D. Online casino games - slots, roulette, blackjack, baccarat, live dealer - are not offered legally to the public, and accessing offshore sites that provide them is an offence.

To bet with Singapore Pools online you must be at least 21, verify your identity in person, and be in Singapore.

The regulator and licensing regime

The Gambling Regulatory Authority (GRA), under the Ministry of Home Affairs, was formed on 1 August 2022 and oversees all gambling - land-based and online. It draws its powers from the Gambling Regulatory Authority Act 2022, the Gambling Control Act 2022 and the Casino Control Act. The GRA issues and renews licences and enforces responsible-gambling, data-protection and anti-money-laundering duties. Singapore Pools operates its online betting under an exemption first granted in 2016.

From 1 January 2025, the Singapore Police Force took over blocking unlawful remote gambling sites, policing their advertising, and blocking related payments. Enforcement is substantial: the GRA has reported that since 2015 authorities have blocked over 3,800 illegal gambling websites and intercepted more than 145,000 payment transactions totalling around S$37 million.

Licensed vs offshore operators

Legal in SingaporeIllegal
OperatorSingapore Pools onlyAll offshore casinos/sportsbooks
ProductsSports betting, Toto, 4D, Singapore SweepOnline slots, poker, roulette, blackjack
Crypto casinosNoneAll - blocked and prohibited

Offshore “SG-friendly” casinos that advertise to Singaporeans operate outside the law; using them exposes you to penalties and offers no local consumer protection.

Payments locals actually use

Because the only legal channel is Singapore Pools, payments run through mainstream local rails: bank transfer/GIRO, debit cards, PayNow and the Singapore Pools Account. There is no legal crypto on-ramp for gambling.

No. When Singapore amended its casino rules in 2024 to allow cashless betting, it deliberately excluded crypto: the GRA said it has no intention of allowing cryptocurrency to be used as chips for casino gambling because of money-laundering risk. Crypto-based prediction and betting platforms are treated as illegal remote gambling - Singapore ordered ISPs to block Polymarket, which the GRA labelled an “illegal gambling site,” on 12 January 2025.

Tax on player winnings

Good news: casual gambling winnings are not taxable. IRAS treats money from 4D, Toto, football betting, Singapore Sweep, horse racing, jackpot machines and casinos as windfalls, not income, so you do not declare them. The exception is gambling carried on as a trade, profession or business, whose income is taxable. Operators (not players) pay betting duties.

Safer gambling and help

If gambling is causing harm, help is free and confidential. Contact the National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) National Problem Gambling Helpline on 1800-6-668-668 (8am-11pm daily), or apply for self-exclusion from casinos, jackpot rooms and Singapore Pools online betting via ncpg.org.sg. Singapore citizens and permanent residents must also pay a casino entry levy (S$150 per 24 hours or S$3,000 annually), a deliberate friction to discourage frequent play.

18+ only (21+ for Singapore Pools online betting and the casinos). Gambling can be addictive - please play responsibly.

Sources