Singapore Totalisator Board Act 1987

Singapore Totalisator Board
Act 1987

2020 REVISED EDITION

This revised edition incorporates all amendments up to and including 1 December 2021 and comes into operation on 31 December 2021

An Act to provide for the establishment of the Singapore Totalisator Board and for matters connected therewith.

[Act 14 of 2022 wef 01/08/2022]

[1 January 1988]

PART 1

PRELIMINARY

Short title

1.  This Act is the Singapore Totalisator Board Act 1987.

Interpretation

2.  In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires —

[Deleted by Act 14 of 2022 wef 01/08/2022]

“Board” means the Singapore Totalisator Board established under section 3;

“chief executive” means the chief executive of the Board, and includes any individual acting in that capacity;

“Gambling Regulatory Authority of Singapore” means the Casino Regulatory Authority of Singapore continued and renamed as the Gambling Regulatory Authority of Singapore under the Gambling Regulatory Authority of Singapore Act 2022;

[Act 14 of 2022 wef 01/08/2022]

“gaming” means the playing of any game of chance or of mixed chance and skill for money or money’s worth;

“horse race” includes a pony race;

[Deleted by Act 14 of 2022 wef 01/08/2022]

“race course” means any land used for the purpose of a race meeting;

“race meeting” means a meeting for the purpose of horse racing;

“totalisator” means any instrument for wagering or betting known by that name, and any other instrument, device, machine or method of a like nature and conducted on the same principles, and includes a numbers forecast totalisator paying a fixed minimum dividend;

“totalisator agency” means any totalisator agency under the supervision of the Board, and includes any premises in which totalisator investments may be received;

[Act 14 of 2022 wef 01/08/2022]

“totalisator investment” means any money, currency note or cheque, or such other form of payment as may be approved by the Minister, received for investment on the totalisator;

“turf club” means any club, association or other body of persons (whether incorporated or unincorporated) established for the purpose of promoting, conducting and controlling the sport of horse racing.

[Act 14 of 2022 wef 01/08/2022]

[Deleted by Act 14 of 2022 wef 01/08/2022]

PART 2

SINGAPORE TOTALISATOR BOARD

Establishment and incorporation of Singapore Totalisator Board

3.  A Board called the Singapore Totalisator Board is established, which is a body corporate with perpetual succession and a common seal and is by that name capable of —

(a) suing and being sued;

(b) acquiring, owning, holding and developing or disposing of property, both movable and immovable; and

(c) doing and suffering any other acts or things that bodies corporate may lawfully do and suffer.

Functions of Board

4.—(1)  The functions of the Board are —

(a) to supervise the affairs of a turf club operating in Singapore;

[Act 14 of 2022 wef 01/08/2022]

(b) to conduct equine research and establish, maintain and improve turf clubs, training centres for apprentices, jockeys, blacksmiths and others employed in connection with racing, and other places used in connection with racing;

(c) [Deleted by Act 14 of 2022 wef 01/08/2022]

(d) with the approval of the Minister, to establish and maintain places and facilities for recreation on land owned or held by the Board and to carry out activities that appear to the Board to be requisite, advantageous or convenient for or in connection with its functions;

(e) to improve racing generally; and

(f) to work collaboratively with the Gambling Regulatory Authority of Singapore to foster responsible gambling and reduce the prevalence of unauthorised gambling.

[Act 14 of 2022 wef 01/08/2022]

(2)  The Minister may, after consulting the Board, give to the Board such general directions, not inconsistent with the provisions of this Act, as to the policy to be followed by the Board in the exercise and performance of its powers and functions under this Act as appear to the Minister to be required in the public interest, and the Board must as soon as possible give effect to any such directions.

(3)  The Board must provide the Minister with information relating to its property and activities in such manner and at such times as the Minister may require.

(4)  However, nothing in this Act confers on the Board a function or power to conduct on its own behalf any race meeting or a totalisator for gaming in relation to any racing or otherwise.

[Act 14 of 2022 wef 01/08/2022]

Contributing to charitable, etc., purposes

4A.  The Board also has the function to ensure that public benefits may be derived from any racing or gaming conducted by a turf club or totalisator agency which is under the supervision of the Board, through regular contributions out of their proceeds or profits so as to fund distributions under section 5 by the Board.

[Act 14 of 2022 wef 01/08/2022]

Powers of Board

5.—(1)  Subject to the provisions of this Act, the Board has power to do all such things as are in its opinion necessary for or conducive to the proper discharge of its functions under this Act and, in particular, the Board has power —

(a) to distribute sums, out of moneys forming part of the funds of the Board and not required by it in the exercise of its functions under section 4, for all or any of the following purposes:

(i) public, social or charitable purposes relating to Singapore;

(ii) the promotion of culture, art and sport generally in Singapore;

[Act 14 of 2022 wef 01/08/2022]

(b) to subscribe for or acquire any securities, stocks or shares of any company or to form or participate in the formation of any company, partnership or joint venture for the purpose of carrying out any function of the Board or for such other purposes as the Minister may approve; and

(c) to suspend or revoke any totalisator or gaming activity established by any totalisator agency under the supervision of the Board.

[Act 14 of 2022 wef 01/08/2022]

(2)  [Deleted by Act 14 of 2022 wef 01/08/2022]

Directions by Minister

6.  The Minister may give to the Board any direction under section 5 of the Public Sector (Governance) Act 2018.

[5A

[5/2018]

Members of Board

7.—(1)  The Board consists of —

(a) a Chairperson; and

(b) not less than 4 and not more than 11 other members as the Minister may determine.

(2)  The Schedule has effect with respect to the Board, its members and proceedings.

[6

Chief executive

8.—(1)  There must be a chief executive of the Board, whose appointment, removal, discipline and promotion must be in accordance with the Public Sector (Governance) Act 2018.

[5/2018]

(2)  The Board may, subject to the Public Sector (Governance) Act 2018, appoint an individual to act temporarily as the chief executive during any period, or during all periods, when the chief executive —

(a) is absent from duty or Singapore; or

(b) is, for any reason, unable to perform the duties of the office.

[6A

[5/2018]

Appointment of officers, etc.

9.—(1)  Subject to subsection (2) and the Public Sector (Governance) Act 2018, the Board may, on such terms and conditions as it may determine —

(a) appoint and employ such officers, employees, consultants or agents; and

(b) appoint such totalisator agencies,

as may be necessary for the effective performance of its functions.

[5/2018]

(2)  The Board must obtain the approval of the Minister for the appointment of —

(a) [Deleted by Act 14 of 2022 wef 01/08/2022]

(b) any totalisator agency.

[7

Bank accounts and application of revenue

10.—(1)  The Board must open and maintain an account or accounts with such bank or banks as the Board thinks fit.

(2)  Every account under subsection (1) must be operated by such person or persons authorised to do so by the Board.

(3)  The moneys of the Board must be applied only in payment or discharge of the expenses, obligations and liabilities of the Board and in making any payments that the Board is authorised or required to make.

[8

Power of investment

11.  The Board may invest its moneys in accordance with the standard investment power of statutory bodies as defined in section 33A of the Interpretation Act 1965.

[9

Issue of shares, etc.

12.  As a consequence of —

(a) the vesting of any property, rights or liabilities of the Government in the Board under this Act; or

(b) any capital injection or other investment by the Government in the Board in accordance with any written law,

the Board must issue such shares or other securities to the Minister for Finance as that Minister may direct.

[9A

Power to borrow

13.—(1)  For the purposes of this Act, the Board may raise loans from the Government or, with the approval of the Minister, raise loans within or outside Singapore from such source as the Minister may direct by —

(a) mortgage, overdraft or other means, with or without security;

(b) charge, whether legal or equitable, on any property vested in the Board or on any other revenue receivable by the Board under this Act or any other written law; or

(c) the creation and issue of debentures, bonds or any other instrument as the Minister may approve.

(2)  For the purposes of this section, the power to raise loans includes the power to make any financial agreement whereby credit facilities are granted to the Board for the purchase of goods or services.

[9B

Financial year

14.  The financial year of the Board begins on 1 April of each year and ends on 31 March of the succeeding year.

[10

[5/2018]

PART 3

TOTALISATORS AND TOTALISATOR AGENCIES

Calculation of dividend

15.—(1)  It is the duty of every totalisator agency operating a totalisator to pay out by way of dividend all moneys received from investments on the totalisator after deducting —

(a) the amount of any gambling duty charged under the Gambling Duties Act 2022; and

[Act 1 of 2022 wef 29/07/2022]

(b) the amount of any commission prescribed, or determined in any manner prescribed, in any regulations made under section 24.

[Act 14 of 2022 wef 01/08/2022]

(2)  It is not necessary to pay out fractions of a dollar.

(3)  [Deleted by Act 14 of 2022 wef 01/08/2022]

Proportion of deduction from investment to belong to Board

16.  The sums deducted by way of commission in accordance with section 15(1)(b), together with any fractional money arising pursuant to the operation of section 15(2), are deemed for all purposes to belong to and form part of the general funds of the Board and may be apportioned between the Board and the totalisator agency in such proportion and in such manner as the Minister may approve.

[13

PART 4

MISCELLANEOUS

Admission to race courses

17.—(1)  A turf club may admit members of the public to any race course or premises under the control or supervision of the club or of any one or more of the officers of such club on payment of an admission fee.

(2)  A turf club may make by‑laws controlling the admission of persons to any race course or premises used or occupied by such club for race meetings or for the placing of investments on the totalisator.

(3)  Any by-laws made under this section may provide for the exclusion from a race course or such premises of any specified class or description of persons, either absolutely or subject to the conditions prescribed (if any) by such by‑laws.

(4)  This section —

(a) is applicable to any race course despite the fact that it is or forms part of a reserve or other place in respect of which there exists a right of public use or entry; and

(b) is not deemed to limit the power of any club to exclude or remove any person from any race course occupied by the club and which is free from such right of public use or entry.

(5)  An officer of the turf club may remove from the race course or such premises any person who contravenes any by‑law made under this section and who fails or refuses to leave the race course or such premises after being requested by such officer to do so.

(6)  Every by-law or amendment of or addition to or revocation of or substitution for any by-law made under this section must, within 30 days of its coming into operation —

(a) be published on the website of the Singapore Turf Club (the publication cost of which must be borne by the turf club which made, amended, added to, revoked or substituted the by-laws); and

(b) be displayed prominently within the premises of the turf club.

(7)  By-laws made under this section must not be inconsistent with any law for the time being in force in Singapore and any such by‑law which is so inconsistent is, to the extent of the inconsistency, void.

[14

18.  

[Repealed by Act 14 of 2022 wef 01/08/2022]

19.  

[Repealed by Act 14 of 2022 wef 01/08/2022]

20.  

[Repealed by Act 14 of 2022 wef 01/08/2022]

21.  

[Repealed by Act 14 of 2022 wef 01/08/2022]

22.  

[Repealed by Act 14 of 2022 wef 01/08/2022]

General exemption

23.  The Minister may, by order in the Gazette and subject to such conditions as the Minister may impose, exempt any person or class of persons from all or any of the provisions of this Act.

[20B

Power to make regulations

24.  The Minister may make such regulations as the Minister considers necessary or expedient to give effect to the provisions and for the due administration of this Act.

[Act 14 of 2022 wef 01/08/2022]

Property of Singapore Turf Club to be held on trust for Board

25.—(1)  The following property and funds of the Singapore Turf Club, a society registered under the Societies Act 1966, is with effect from 9 November 1987 deemed to be held by the Club on trust for the purposes of the Board and the Board may at any time require the Club to transfer to the Board any such property or funds for those purposes:

(a) all immovable property owned by the Club on that date;

(b) all funds and investments belonging to the Club on that date.

(2)  If any question arises as to whether any particular property, fund or investment is held on trust for the Board, the matter is to be determined by the Minister and a certificate under the hand of the Minister is conclusive evidence of the matter certified in the certificate.

(3)  The Board may grant to the Singapore Turf Club out of the funds deemed to be held by the Club on trust for the Board such sums of money as the Board may determine to enable the Club to meet the expenses of carrying out its operations and to maintain or improve its facilities and for such other purpose as the Board thinks fit.

[22

THE SCHEDULE

Section 7(2)

Constitution and Proceedings of Board

Appointment of Chairperson and other members

1.  The Chairperson and other members must be appointed by the Minister.

Tenure of office of members

2.  A member holds office on such conditions and for such term, as the Minister may determine, and is eligible for re‑appointment.

Temporary members

3.  The Minister may appoint any person to be a temporary member of the Board during the temporary incapacity from illness or otherwise, or during the temporary absence from Singapore, of any member.

Temporary Chairperson

4.  The Minister may appoint any member to be a temporary Chairperson during the temporary incapacity from illness or otherwise, or during the temporary absence from Singapore, of the Chairperson.

Revocation of appointment

5.  The Minister may (at any time) revoke the appointment of the Chairperson or any member without giving any reason.

Resignation

6.  A member may resign from his or her appointment at any time by giving written notice to the Minister.

Chairperson may delegate functions

7.  The Chairperson may, by instrument in writing, authorise any member to exercise any power or perform any function conferred on the Chairperson by or under this Act.

Vacation of office

8.  The office of a member is vacated if he or she —

(a) has been absent, without leave of the Board, from 3 consecutive meetings of the Board; or

(b) becomes in any manner disqualified for membership of the Board.

Filling of vacancies

9.  If a member resigns, dies or has his or her appointment revoked or otherwise vacates his or her office before the expiry of the term for which the member has been appointed, the Minister may appoint a person to fill the vacancy for the remainder of the term for which the vacating member was appointed.

Disqualification from membership

10.  A person must not be appointed or continue to hold office as a member if he or she —

(a) is an undischarged bankrupt or has made any arrangement with his or her creditors; or

(b) has been sentenced to imprisonment for a term of not less than 6 months and has not received a free pardon.

Fees, etc., payable to members of Board

11.  There are to be paid to the Chairperson and other members out of the funds of the Board such fees and allowances as the Minister may determine.

Meetings of Board

12.—(1)  The Board must meet for the despatch of business at such times and places as the Chairperson may appoint.

(2)  At every meeting of the Board, a majority of the members of the Board forms a quorum.

(3)  A decision at a meeting of the Board is to be adopted by a simple majority of the members present and voting except that in the case of an equality of votes the Chairperson or member presiding has a casting vote in addition to his or her original vote.

(4)  The Chairperson or in the Chairperson’s absence the temporary Chairperson presides at meetings of the Board.

(5)  Where both the Chairperson and the temporary Chairperson are absent at a meeting, such member as the members present may elect presides at that meeting.

(6)  Where a majority of the members of the Board request the Chairperson by written notice signed by them to convene a meeting of the Board for any purpose specified in the notice, the Chairperson must, within 7 days from the receipt of the notice, convene a meeting for that purpose.

Vacancies

13.  The Board may act despite any vacancy in its membership.

Procedure at meetings

14.  Subject to the provisions of this Act and the Public Sector (Governance) Act 2018, the Board may make rules to regulate its own procedure generally, and in particular, regarding the holding and proceedings of meetings, the notice to be given of the meetings, the keeping of minutes and the custody, production and inspection of the minutes.

Validity of proceedings

15.  The validity of any proceedings of the Board is not affected by any defect in the appointment of any member or by any contravention of paragraph 10 by any member.

[5/2018]

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY

Singapore Totalisator Board Act 1987

 

This Legislative History is a service provided by the Law Revision Commission on a best-efforts basis. It is not part of the Act.
1.	Act 29 of 1987—Singapore Totalisator Board Act 1987
	Bill	:	21/1987
	First Reading	:	9 November 1987
	Second and Third Readings	:	30 November 1987
	Commencement	:	1 January 1988
2.	1988 Revised Edition—Singapore Totalisator Board Act (Chapter 305A)
	Operation	:	30 April 1988
3.	Act 4 of 1991—Singapore Totalisator Board (Amendment) Act 1990
	Bill	:	33/1990
	First Reading	:	9 November 1990
	Second and Third Readings	:	20 December 1990
	Commencement	:	1 April 1990
4.	Act 4 of 1997—Singapore Totalisator Board (Amendment) Act 1997
	Bill	:	1/1997
	First Reading	:	2 June 1997
	Second and Third Readings	:	25 August 1997
	Commencement	:	15 September 1997
5.	1999 Revised Edition—Singapore Totalisator Board Act (Chapter 305A)
	Operation	:	30 December 1999
6.	Act 5 of 2002—Statutory Corporations (Capital Contribution) Act 2002
	(Amendments made by section 3 read with item (44) of the Schedule to the above Act)
	Bill	:	7/2002
	First Reading	:	3 May 2002
	Second and Third Readings	:	24 May 2002
	Commencement	:	15 July 2002 (section 3 read with item (44) of the Schedule)
7.	Act 13 of 2004—Singapore Totalisator Board (Amendment) Act 2004
	Bill	:	8/2004
	First Reading	:	27 February 2004
	Second and Third Readings	:	20 April 2004
	Commencement	:	1 May 2004
8.	Act 45 of 2004—Trustees (Amendment) Act 2004
	(Amendments made by section 25(4) read with item (49) of the Schedule to the above Act)
	Bill	:	43/2004
	First Reading	:	21 September 2004
	Second and Third Readings	:	19 October 2004
	Commencement	:	15 December 2004 (section 25(4) read with item (49) of the Schedule)
9.	Act 14 of 2005—Betting and Sweepstake Duties (Amendment) Act 2005
	(Amendments made by section 11 of the above Act)
	Bill	:	4/2005
	First Reading	:	28 February 2005
	Second and Third Readings	:	11 March 2005
	Commencement	:	1 April 2005 (section 11)
10.	Act 12 of 2008—Singapore Totalisator Board (Amendment) Act 2008
	Bill	:	7/2008
	First Reading	:	26 May 2008
	Second and Third Readings	:	21 July 2008
	Commencement	:	27 December 2010
11.	2012 Revised Edition—Singapore Totalisator Board Act (Chapter 305A)
	Operation	:	31 July 2012
12.	Act 5 of 2018—Public Sector (Governance) Act 2018
	(Amendments made by section 103 of the above Act)
	Bill	:	45/2017
	First Reading	:	6 November 2017
	Second Reading	:	8 January 2018
	Notice of Amendments	:	8 January 2018
	Third Reading	:	8 January 2018
	Commencement	:	1 April 2018 (section 103)
13.	Act 4 of 2021—Statute Law Reform Act 2021
	(Amendments made by section 21(3) of the above Act)
	Bill	:	45/2020
	First Reading	:	3 November 2020
	Second and Third Readings	:	5 January 2021
	Commencement	:	1 March 2021 (section 21(3))
14.	2020 Revised Edition—Singapore Totalisator Board Act 1987
	Operation	:	31 December 2021
15.	Act 1 of 2022—Gambling Duties Act 2022
	Bill	:	41/2021
	First Reading	:	1 November 2021
	Second and Third Readings	:	10 January 2022
	Commencement	:	29 July 2022 (Section 50)
16.	Act 14 of 2022—Gambling Regulatory Authority of Singapore Act 2022
	(Amendments made by the above Act)
	Bill	:	5/2022
	First Reading	:	14 February 2022
	Second and Third Readings	:	11 March 2022
	Commencement	:	1 August 2022

Abbreviations

	(updated on 29 August 2022)
G.N.	Gazette Notification
G.N. Sp.	Gazette Notification (Special Supplement)
L.A.	Legislative Assembly
L.N.	Legal Notification (Federal/Malaysian)
M.	Malaya/Malaysia (including Federated Malay States, Malayan Union, Federation of Malaya and Federation of Malaysia)
Parl.	Parliament
S	Subsidiary Legislation
S.I.	Statutory Instrument (United Kingdom)
S (N.S.)	Subsidiary Legislation (New Series)
S.S.G.G.	Straits Settlements Government Gazette
S.S.G.G. (E)	Straits Settlements Government Gazette (Extraordinary)

COMPARATIVE TABLE

Singapore Totalisator Board Act 1987

This Act has undergone renumbering in the 2020 Revised Edition. This Comparative Table is provided to help readers locate the corresponding provisions in the last Revised Edition.

2020 Ed.	2012 Ed.
6	5A
7	6
8	6A
9	7
10	8
11	9
12	9A
13	9B
14	10
—	11 [Repealed by Act 12 of 2008]
15	12
16	13
17—(1)	14—(1)
—	(2) [Deleted by Act 4 of 2021]
(2)	(3)
(3)	(4)
(4)	(5)
(5)	(6)
(6)	(7)
(7)	(8)
18	15
—	16 [Repealed by Act 12 of 2008]
—	17 [Repealed by Act 12 of 2008]
19	18
20	19
21	20
22	20A
23	20B
24	21
25	22
[Omitted as spent]	(4)
THE SCHEDULE	FIRST SCHEDULE
—	SECOND SCHEDULE [Repealed by Act 5 of 2018]