Online gambling agent first conviction under Singapore’s organized crime act

An illegal gambling agent has won the dubious honor of becoming the first person convicted under Singapore’s Organized Crime Act (OCA).

On Friday, Singapore media reported that Or Poh Soon had pleaded guilty to acting as an agent for unauthorized online gambling operators that accepted lottery and sports bets via at least six websites, including Peng888.com.

The 55-year-old Or (pictured) was one of dozens of individuals arrested in 2016 in the city-state’s first online gambling bust since the Singapore Pools and Turf Club monopolies launched their state-approved sites. Six of these individuals, including Or, were charged last November with offenses under the OCA, marking the first time the OCA had been used since its passage in June 2016.

Or, a former newspaper vendor, had been recruiting punters for the online gambling group since 2013, earning an 8-10% commission on his punters’ wagers, plus an additional 5% of any lottery prizes his customers were lucky enough to win.