Singapore legislation
Section 2
Section 2
Interpretation
(1)
In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires —
Definition
“access” includes access through the telephone, by post or by telegram;
Definition
“betting information centre” means any place kept or used for receiving or transmitting by telephone or other means any information relating to any horse‑race or other sporting event for the purpose of betting or wagering in contravention of this Act;
Definition
“bookmaker” means any person who, whether on his own account or as penciller, runner, employee or agent for any other person, receives or negotiates bets or wagers whether on a cash or on a credit basis and whether for money or money’s worth, or who in any manner holds himself out or permits himself to be held out in any manner as a person who receives or negotiates those bets or wagers; but does not include a club, its officers or employees or any other person or organisation operating or conducting a totalisator or pari‑mutuel or any other system or method of cash or credit betting authorised under section 22;
Definition
“common betting house” means —
any place kept or used for betting or wagering on any event or contingency of or relating to any horse‑race or other sporting event to which the public or any class of the public has or may have access;
any place kept or used for habitual betting or wagering on any such event or contingency as aforesaid, whether the public has, or may have, access thereto or not; and
any place used by a bookmaker for the purpose of receiving or negotiating bets or wagers on any such event or contingency as aforesaid whether the bets or wagers reach the bookmaker by the hand of the person placing the bet or his agent or the bookmaker’s agent or through the telephone or by post or by telegram or by any other means;
Definition
“equipment” has the same meaning as in the Telecommunications Act 1999;
Definition
“penciller” means a person who helps a bookmaker to keep his accounts or record of bets in connection with horse‑races;
Definition
“place” means any house, office, room or building, and any place or spot, whether open or enclosed, and includes a ship, boat, or other vessel whether afloat or not, and any vehicle;
Definition
“runner” means a person employed by a bookmaker to collect and settle bets either on salary or on commission basis;
Definition
“sporting event” includes any race, fight, game, sport or exercise;
Definition
“telecommunication system” has the same meaning as in the Telecommunications Act 1999.
(2)
A place shall be deemed to be used for a purpose if it is used for that purpose on only one occasion.
(3)
A place shall be deemed to be used for habitual betting or wagering if betting or wagering is frequently carried on therein, notwithstanding that betting or wagering is not the primary purpose for which that place is normally used.
(4)
Every person who demises or lets for hire a place shall be deemed to be the owner thereof.
(5)
A common betting house shall be deemed to be a common nuisance and contrary to law.