Man fined, jailed for offering illegal bets in casino
By Shaffiq Alkhatib | Posted: 29 August 2011 1612 hrs
SINGAPORE: A jobless man, who was a member of a syndicate that offered illegal private side bets for baccarat at the Marina Bay Sands casino, was sentenced on Monday to six months' jail and fined S$60,000.
Between March and June, Goh Boon Kwang offered what's known as "insurance bets" to punters in room 302 at the exclusive Paiza Club, which offers services including private gaming lounges.
Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Ruth Wong said gamblers could unlawfully place such side bets to reduce the risk of losing their main ones with the casino.
She added that the plan involved punters placing bets opposite of what they had placed with the casino.
Forty-three-year-old Goh, who used to operate a reflexology business, pleaded guilty to two of the five charges against him.
He is the second member of the syndicate to be dealt with in court for the offence.
One of his accomplices, 26-year-old Ricki, an Indonesian odd-job labourer, was sentenced to four months' jail and fined S$50,000 last month.
Two other alleged accomplices have already been charged in court and their cases are still pending.
They are 48-year-old Lee Chin Chuan and an alleged runner, Ang Keng Peng.
DPP Wong said that Lee had a VIP membership at the casino and in March, it's believed he decided to offer the illegal side bets to make some money.
Based on court documents, Goh had spotted Lee offering them to punters and approached him as he wanted to be part of the plan.
The prosecution said that Goh would get up to S$200 per bet if a punter, who agreed to deal with them on the sly, won.
But Goh had to bear the cost if the gambler lost.
It's believed Lee roped in three other men, including Ricki and Ang, to work for him, and he allegedly agreed to pay each of these runners up to S$150 a day.
DPP Wong said that by allegedly offering these "insurance bets", Lee made a profit of about S$30,000.
Goh, on the other hand, made some S$6,000 by acting as a bookmaker.
Goh, Lee and Ricki were arrested at the Marina Bay Sands casino in a raid on June 14.
The authorities seized from them items including cash totalling more than S$72,000.
- CNA/ck
