SINGAPORE — At a Singapore Pools betting booth in Geylang, an area of Singapore known for its rows of 19th century “shophouses” and red-light district, gamblers line up patiently to place bets on the lottery and the weekend’s soccer games.
Posters pasted on the wall advertise an African Nations Cup, while electronic screens display the odds for games in the English premier league, matches in Germany and Australia, as well as neighboring Malaysia and local teams in Singapore.
Low Hong Teck, an electronics salesman who is picking out games on the screen, says he bets on matches occasionally, never risking more than 20 to 30 Singapore dollars ($16 to $24). “It’s just for fun,” he says.
Yet the fun is being drained from the sport as Singapore finds itself in an uncomfortable global spotlight in a sprawling match-fixing scandal. Full story
