From the casual bettor hoping to strike it rich with a Toto number to the professional gambler crunching the odds like they’re solving a Rubik’s Cube, betting is as much a part of Singapore culture as chicken rice and a good joke. And while the organization is certainly no stranger to controversy – from claims of fixed games to concerns over problem gambling – it’s also not without its loyal customers, who make billions of dollars bet each year.
But Singapore Pools isn’t just about the numbers; it’s also a major player in local charity and cultural events. From funding educational programs to supporting the arts, its annual donations add up to millions. And it’s not just about giving back to the community: the organization is a familiar sight at sports tournaments and cultural festivals, where thousands of punters line up to buy tickets for the next big win.
In fact, it’s estimated that the amount wagered in the country each year is enough to fund a small country’s defense budget. With that kind of money on the line, it’s no wonder that people are so invested in their bets. But is the system really stacked in their favor?
Founded in 1968, Singapore Pools has transformed from the turbulent and risky gambling scene of the 1960s to a socially responsible company that’s a safe and trusted place for people to bet. Today, it collects close to S$9 billion a year, with 70% returned to winners, 22% channelled to the Tote Board to support charitable causes and the remaining 3% for operating expenses.
Achieving the right balance between innovation and security is a key challenge for Singapore Pools, which must continually adapt to the changing gaming landscape. To stay ahead of the curve, the company recently engaged Collective Campus to deliver two one day tech crash courses for 40 employees on ideation methods and innovation theory. This training has helped to develop a more proactive and innovative mindset amongst employees, enabling them to respond faster to new opportunities in the gaming industry.
In addition to its new initiatives, Singapore Pools is working hard to maintain a positive work culture even during times of crisis. For example, it launched iShine Cloud, a collaborative IT social enterprise that provides a suite of social service sector-specific software via a secure cloud-based platform at a subsidised rate. This enables the company to minimize risk, ensure proper governance and ease management of its IT environment by providing visibility into all layers of its technology stack.
iShine Cloud has already onboarded 31 charities and 1,512 users and is set to expand its solutions in the future. In addition, Yeo’s team also created forums for staff to share their thoughts on the new initiatives and incorporated them into the ongoing strategy. Similarly, it’s using Oracle Cloud Observability and Management to improve security by reducing complexity in its IT environment. The platform helps to quickly identify issues affecting the business, which speeds up troubleshooting and resolves problems in minutes instead of hours.