Head of World’s Largest Match Fixing Syndicate Arrested

Tan Seet Eng, known as Dan Tan, has been arrested in Singapore after reports from Italian courts reached the Singapore police. Tan is known as the ringleader of the biggest and most aggressive match fixing syndicate in the world, as described by the general secretary of Interpol.

Tan had been taking advantage of online and mobile betting sites by pressuring and/or bribing players across a number of sports to influence the outcome of matches and games. Despite his arrest, however, it is unlikely that the syndicate leader will ever face trial, thanks to a lack of clean evidence against him.

This is the latest breakthrough in the fight against illegal betting and match fixing, and comes hot on the heels of the record 12 year ban handed down to snooker player Stephen Lee after revelations about his match fixing came into view. These two pieces of gambling news are likely to be viewed very favorably by gambling companies across the globe.

With Singaporean gambling laws allowing play at foreign online casinos, sports betting has become incredibly popular in the city state. With many casinos offering payments in Singapore dollars, much of the relatively well off population takes part in gambling of one form or another.

It’s outside of gambling where the law has failed, however, with the lack of any extradition treaties meaning that Dan Tan cannot be tried in another country’s court. With syndicate members too scared to publicly testify against their former boss, the case is never likely to make it to a public court.

Despite this, Tan will be held indefinitely under a 1950’s security law, awaiting the decision on whether there is enough evidence for a public trial. Should evidence be lacking, it is a distinct possibility that Dan Tan could spend the rest of his life imprisoned without any hope of trial.