Singapore: Proxy Betting Agent Sentenced to Jail, Hit with Fine

Singapore currently has tough rules with it comes to illegal gambling, organizing third-party or proxy betting or other gambling-related activities outside the established regulations. People who organize, facilitate or benefit from proxy betting can be charged and sentenced to pay a fine between $20,000 and $200,000. However, organizing or benefiting from proxy betting is an offense also punishable by up to five years in jail.

Now, a new report reveals that one person, who accepted nearly $20,000 in illegal bets, was sentenced to jail and hit with a hefty fine. As announced by the Straits Times, Teo Thiam Tat, 66, who pleaded guilty to one charge of offering illegal remote gambling services, was sentenced to three months in jail. In addition, for his involvement in the proxy betting operation, he was fined $20,000.

An investigation uncovered that Tat had accepted wagers by bettors in cash. He also awarded prizes in cash for bettors that had already won. Some bettors sent Tat text messages with their wagers which were subsequently submitted by another individual involved in the proxy betting scheme.

Overall, Tat has collected wagers of some $17,634.40. An investigation uncovered that this sum was collected between August 22, 2020, and September 7, 2020. The collection of those wagers resulted in some $881.72 commission that Tat secured from the operation.

The Proxy Betting Agent Was on Commission

According to Quek Lu Yi, Deputy Public Prosecutor, Tat met a person identified as Jason while going out with friends for drinks. Back in 2019, Tat became involved in the illegal betting operation and started to present himself as an agent for Jason.

Reportedly, Jason would use an illegal gambling website to place wagers that are collected by bettors that approached Tat. For his involvement in the proxy betting scheme, Tat was promised a 5% commission on the total amount of collected wagers. When it comes to winnings, he was promised an additional 5% commission.

Following this plan, the duo engaged in proxy wagering on behalf of bettors. An investigation uncovered that 15 gamblers texted Tat on different mobile phones. After accepting the wagers, he deleted the text messages, making it more difficult for the investigators to uncover the scheme. While Tat is already sentenced, the second person involved in the scheme would undergo a separate trial.

Elsewhere in Singapore, some $2 billion was seized during a massive anti-money laundering operation. While the operation dates back to August, law enforcement continued to work on the case that involved illegal gambling and money laundering on a large scale. Some 10 people, believed to be associated with the crime, have been arrested so far.