Singapore Police Arrest 60 People Tied to Illegal Gambling

Singapore police continue to crack down on illegal gambling in the country, with authorities arresting 60 people during an operation that was conducted around the time of the World Cup 2026.

Singapore Announces Results of Far-Reaching Anti-Gambling Sweeps

The arrests were made ahead of and during the FIFA World Cup in June and July, and police conducted operations against physical and digital operations, with more than 600 websites, mobile applications and social media posts blocked by the competent authorities. 

The operations were conducted between May 1 and July 20, 2026, with the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Ministry of Social and Family Development assisting in the operations. Out of the 60 people arrested, there were 46 men and 14 women, aged between 17 and 79. 

11 individuals were also named as part of a separate illegal online gambling investigation along with bank account misuse. As noted earlier, there were more than 600 digital websites, applications, and social media content items taken down by authorities during the period promoting illegal gambling. 

The operations focused on tracking money streams to identify key figures in the illegal gambling operations, with over 6,900 banking transactions linked to various illegal gambling activities, and more than $600,000 worth of transactions blocked. 

Police also used the recent press release announcing its crackdowns against illegal gambling to put the public on notice and remind people that they are not allowed to run or otherwise participate in illegal gambling in any form.