Singapore police have carried out a four-day, multi-agency enforcement operation targeting illegal gambling and related criminal activities across several districts, resulting in the arrest of 47 people.

The operations took place between 3 and 6 December 2025, according to a police statement issued on Sunday. Those arrested included 10 men and 37 women, aged between 20 and 88, highlighting the broad age range involved in the offences.

The crackdown was led by the Tanglin Police Division, with support from the Health Sciences Authority, Immigration and Checkpoints Authority, Central Narcotics Bureau, and the Singapore Civil Defence Force. Officers targeted public entertainment outlets, massage establishments, residential units, and commercial premises.

Prominent Singaporean locations targeted

Raids were carried out in Orchard Road, Whampoa, Toa Payoh, Novena, Balestier, Kim Keat Road, and Robertson Quay. Media representatives were invited to observe selected operations, a move police said was aimed at maintaining transparency.

One of the first enforcement actions took place at a coffee shop in Whampoa, where several elderly individuals were arrested for suspected illegal horse-betting activities. A subsequent raid in Toa Payoh focused on illegal gambling operations, bringing the total number of gambling-related arrests to nine men and two women, mostly aged between 59 and 88.

Police seized more than S$5,000 (€3,400) in cash, along with several mobile phones believed to have been used to facilitate illegal betting. One man was also found carrying a knife, an offence under the Penal Code, which carries serious penalties.

Gambling stays heavily regulated

The arrests come amid Singapore’s strict gambling framework. Gambling activities are regulated under the Gambling Control Act and the Casino Control Act, overseen by the Gambling Regulatory Authority of Singapore. Legal gambling is limited to licensed operators such as Singapore Pools and the country’s two integrated resort casinos — Marina Bay Sands and Resorts World Sentosa.

Betting on sports, horse racing, and lottery games such as 4D and Toto is allowed only through authorised providers. Casino entry is restricted to patrons aged 21 and above, with Singapore citizens and permanent residents required to pay a daily entry levy of S$150 (€102) or an annual levy of S$3,000 (€2,040).

All other forms of gambling are prohibited. Unlicenced betting, private bookmaking, and offshore or unauthorised online gambling platforms are illegal. Operators can face fines of up to S$500,000 (€340,000) and prison sentences of up to seven years for a first offence, with tougher penalties for repeat violations.

Separate raids conducted between 3 and 4 December at two entertainment outlets along Orchard Road led to the arrest of 26 women, aged between 20 and 37, for suspected offences under the Women’s Charter and the Employment of Foreign Manpower Act. Further enforcement actions on 5 and 6 December targeted massage parlours, residential units, and commercial premises, resulting in the arrest of an additional nine women and one man.

Commander of Tanglin Police Division, Senior Assistant Commissioner Cheong Chee Ming, said authorities would continue working closely with partner agencies and warned that those involved in illegal activities would be dealt with firmly under the law. Investigations into all 47 individuals remain ongoing.

Source

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