SINGAPORE: Nine people aged between 17 and 55 have been arrested for their suspected roles in setting up shell companies and corporate bank accounts for an illegal online gambling syndicate operating a platform called GemBet, following a three-day operation conducted by the Singapore Police Force between July 22 and 24, 2026.

Officers from the Criminal Investigation Department, Woodlands Police Division, and Tanglin Police Division carried out raids across multiple locations island-wide, including Upper Jurong Road, Jurong West, Punggol, Geylang, Lengkok Bahru, and Toa Payoh.

The modus operandi

Six of the nine arrested are suspected of using their own SingPass credentials to register new business entities with the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority and open corporate bank accounts. They then handed control of those newly registered entities, accounts, and banking credentials to runners working for the syndicate. Three others were arrested as runners for their role in obtaining these shell companies and bank accounts on the syndicate’s behalf.

During the operation, Police identified nine corporate bank accounts linked to six shell companies and froze over S$39,000 in suspected criminal proceeds.

The charges and what they carry

The nine face potential charges under multiple pieces of legislation. Key offences include misuse of SingPass credentials under the Computer Misuse Act, which carries up to three years’ imprisonment and a fine of up to S$10,000 for disclosing national digital identity access.

Money laundering under the CDSA carries up to 10 years’ imprisonment and fines of up to S$500,000.

Cheating under the Penal Code carries up to three years’ imprisonment, and gambling with an unlicensed operator under the Gambling Control Act carries up to six months’ jail and a fine of up to S$10,000.

Part of a broader World Cup crackdown

The GemBet operation is the latest in an enforcement push that SPF launched ahead of and during the 2026 FIFA World Cup season, recognising the elevated risk of illegal betting activity during major sporting events.

Between May 1 and July 20, 2026, the Police arrested or investigated 60 persons aged between 17 and 79. Over 600 illegal gambling websites, mobile applications, and social media pages promoting illegal gambling were blocked or taken down under the Online Criminal Harms Act. Police also worked with payment network operators and financial institutions to block at least 6,900 attempted ba...