When Singapore Pools was founded in 1968, it set out to change the turbulent gambling scene and counter illegal gambling syndicates. Its founders understood that a blanket ban on gambling would drive the activities underground, and line the pockets of illegal bookmakers and triads.
Instead, they built a trusted platform for responsible betting so that proceeds could be channelled back into the community. Today, the company is the largest and most successful state lottery operator in Asia. It operates the nation’s Toto, Singapore Sweep, 4D and sports betting businesses, and is a wholly owned subsidiary of Tote Board, a statutory board under the Ministry of Finance.
Aside from ensuring that the games remain fair, Singapore Pools is also committed to its social mission. It provides support and assistance to help problem gamblers overcome their challenges, and works with the National Crime Prevention Council to dovetail responsible gaming messaging into anti-illegal gambling messages. In addition, it hosts Responsible Gambling Forums jointly with the Institute of Policy Studies to raise awareness of the risks of gambling among youths and communities.
The company has been a pioneer in digital transformation, moving from traditional counter-service and in-person channels to online platforms for onboarding and account management. Its mobile apps allow customers to place bets on a range of sports and other events, including virtual and live casino games, as well as digital scratchcards. It also offers Responsible Gaming Tools, a suite of free-to-use apps that help players understand and control their gambling habits.
Yeo and his team have also focused on improving customer experience. The company’s online platforms now offer a variety of features that make it easier for customers to bet and manage their accounts, as well as access promotions and discounts. These include a “My Account” page that consolidates information and transaction history, and a new mobile app that makes it easier to navigate the site.
Despite the COVID-19 restrictions, customers continue to place bets on sports and other events. As a result, Singapore Pools’ revenue from these bets surged by 9.2 billion last year, the highest amount in its history. This was partly due to more football matches being available for bets after the suspension of Covid-19 restrictions. Counsellors who spoke to The Straits Times were unsurprised by the spike, arguing that people who are more accustomed to gambling on a daily basis might have shifted their attention to other outlets, such as the online and offline gaming industry.
During this time of change, it’s important for Singapore Pools to stay on top of emerging trends in the gaming industry. Its digitalisation journey will help ensure that the company can continue to be effective in stemming leakages to illegal gambling operators, while maintaining strict regulatory standards and a trustworthy platform for its customers. To do this, it needs a reliable and secure IT environment to support its many online services. To help it achieve this, it opted for Oracle Cloud Observability and Management (OCI), a comprehensive platform that offers visibility across multiple layers of the technology stack and speeds up issue resolution.