Singapore steps up illegal gambling crackdown for 2026 World Cup
What's new: Police will block illegal betting payments and ads, while a public campaign warns that excessive wagering can devastate families.
Singapore will intensify enforcement against illegal gambling from June 11 to July 19 during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, as authorities brace for a surge in football betting. The Ministry of Home Affairs and the Ministry of Social and Family Development said police will keep targeting illegal operators and people who aid gambling syndicates. Authorities will also require online platforms to restrict access to illegal gambling services and ads, terminate local phone numbers used to promote them, and block linked bank accounts and credit card payments. Separately, the National Council on Problem Gambling and the National Crime Prevention Council will run campaigns on the legal risks of illicit betting and the social damage caused by problem gambling. Singapore Pools remains the country’s only licensed sports betting and remote gambling operator.