Singapore takes down cross-border betting syndicate

• Singapore Police Force conducted an investigation, which resulted in the arrest of several people suspected of being involved in a transnational illegal betting syndicate
• The Deputy Director of CID and Senior Assistant Commissioner of Police, Yeo Yee Chuan, reaffirms the country's commitment to combating unlawful gambling

Several men, suspected of being involved in an illegal cross-border betting ring, were arrested Sunday in Singapore.

The Singapore Police Force (SPF) confirmed details regarding the criminal case early on Monday.

Singapore continues to crack down on illegal betting, encourages the public to avoid all forms of illegal gambling

A total of seven men were detained by law enforcement following simultaneous raids.

The arrest of the suspects follows an investigation by the SPF in collaboration with Meta and the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

According to the SPF, several victims lost more than S$175,000 ($135,300) with the illegal betting syndicate.

Yeo Yee Chuan, the Deputy Director of CID and Senior Assistant Commissioner of Police (SAC), spoke about the recent arrests, Casino Guru News learned from a press release.

"The Singapore Police Force takes a serious view against all forms of illegal betting activities and will continue to take tough enforcement action and prosecute those involved to the fullest extent of the law, wherever they choose to operate," Chuan said.

Moreover, Chuan pointed out: "To counter transnational organized crime, the SPF will work closely with foreign counterparts to detect and deter these syndicates. Members of the public are advised to steer clear of all forms of illegal gambling."

Seven suspects detained, cash and assets frozen

With initial reports received in March 2023, the SPF started to investigate the cross-border betting ring.

An investigation by law enforcement uncovered that victims across Singapore were enticed to gamble online by creating accounts with a website.

After opening their accounts, the victims were asked to wire money into anonymous bank accounts and received gambling credits in exchange.

While initially, the victims were granted the possibility to gamble and withdraw their winnings, at some point, the syndicate would cease such payments, telling the victims that they need to either purchase more credits or accumulate more winnings in order to withdraw their winnings.

Following the investigation, law enforcement conducted raids at several locations across Singapore.

A total of seven men, between the ages of 28 and 53, suspected of being involved in the illegal gambling ring were detained.

Law enforcement also seized cash and an expensive watch, while freezing more than a dozen bank accounts.

Mobile phones, computers and other electronic devices were also seized.

The total value of the frozen assets following the police raids was more than S$500,000 ($386,700).

On Monday, October 6, 2025, four of the suspects are expected to receive charges for engaging in unlawful betting under the Gambling Control Act 2022.

Charges against the other three suspects are expected soon as police continue to investigate the cross-border gambling ring.

What's known so far is that the cross-border betting ring didn't target only Singapore but also other Asian countries.

It is unclear whether or not arrests in other countries have been made.

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