Singapore drops cryptocurrency use for gambling citing money laundering concerns

Singaporean regulators have no plans to allow cryptocurrency use for gambling due to the risks of money laundering.

During a Sept. 10 parliamentary address, Ms Sun Xueling, Minister of State for the Ministry of Home Affairs and Ministry of Social and Family Development, clarified Singapore’s regulatory stance on using cryptocurrencies in casino gambling. The minister’s remarks were made during the wrap-up speech for the Second Reading of the Casino Control (Amendment) Bill.

Introduced on July 4, 2024, the bill aims to future-proof the framework governing casino gambling activities in Singapore, while giving the Gambling Regulatory Authority the power to prescribe any wagering instrument as chips for casino gambling. 

However, the minister has stressed that cryptocurrencies will not be part of this expanded scope.

While the amendments to Singapore’s Casino Control Act were promoted as a step toward “future-proofing the regime” and establishing a framework for “cashless gambling,” the Minister of State firmly ruled out the use of cryptocurrencies citing money laundering concerns.

“GRA has no intention of allowing cryptocurrency to be used as chips for casino gambling as this presents money laundering risks.“

Ms Sun Xueling, Minister of State for the Ministry of Home Affairs

Singapore’s exclusion of cryptocurrencies from its casino operations aligns with a growing recognition of the risks they pose in the realm of money laundering. 

According to a January 2024 report by the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, cryptocurrencies and casinos have increasingly become tools for laundering illicit funds, with criminal networks exploiting the anonymity and lack of regulation associated with digital currencies to obscure the origins of illicit funds, using online casinos as conduits.

“Organized crime groups have converged where they see vulnerabilities, and casinos and crypto have proven the point of least resistance.”

Jeremy Douglas, UNODC Regional Representative for Southeast Asia and the Pacific

A growing trend

Boycotting cryptocurrencies for gambling is part of a broader trend, as seen in Australia, where the government recently banned cryptocurrencies for online betting, including digital wallets and credit-linked cards, to help individuals maintain control over their gambling habits. 

Similarly, Brazil has also banned the use of cryptocurrencies for gambling payments in April 2024, targeting digital assets like Bitcoin to enhance transparency and reduce the potential for money laundering. 

Nevertheless, the global crypto gambling market tells a different story altogether. As previously reported by crypto.news, the crypto gambling market almost doubled to over $70 billion in the first half of 2024, with projections pointing toward a staggering $150 billion by 2030.