Gameaxis is a video game website owned by Singapore Press Holdings (SPH) Magazines, where you can find video game reviews and news about video game product launches.

In November it published two articles -- one advertorial for a Poker app and another seemingly innocuous "5 Best Gaming Apps" list which included an app that allows people to place bets online.

Advertorial for Poker app

The Gameaxis advertorial, published Nov 7, started off by claiming that "poker online is an activity that is becoming more popular all the time".

The advertorial then went on to promote poker as a way to earn money by stating that "increasing numbers of people realising that this (online poker) can not only be a fun way of spending their leisure hours but also very profitable as a new actual career – or as a way to earn a little extra cash on the side."

Here's a screenshot of part of the advertorial:

Listicle for "gaming"

The second article titled "The 5 Best Gaming Apps For Android" was published on Nov 10.

It has images of the Pokemon Go gaming app as its cover image, so it would be reasonable to assume the article would be about video games, being on a video game website and all. In fact, four of the five games listed were video games -- Asphalt 8, The Room, Pokemon Go and Clash of Clans.

What stood out like a sore thumb in the article was the Paddy Power App listing that was featured first. Paddy Power is an Irish bookmaker which offers Football betting services among other services. A wider definition of "gaming" perhaps.

In fact a Gameaxis reader pointed it out in the article's comments section:

The article's write up for the app said that "(i)f you are a sports fan, then the Paddy Power App is a must-have. It lets passionate supporters bet on their teams and win real cash."

The article encourages readers to download the app to "see how well you like it." And further goes on to say that "(i)f this leaves you yearning for more, you may also try exciting games at Royal Vegas online casino."

Offence to promote remote gambling

According to 2008 news release by SPH Magazines, "GameAxis Unwired and GameAxis online (www.gameaxis.com) have an outstanding regional readership in Malaysia and Singapore". Are the articles targeting the non-Singaporeans in the region?

However, under the Remote Gambling Act (RGA), so long as the website can be accessed by users in Singapore, it is considered as published in Singapore.

In 2014, Minister S Iswaran said in parliament that RGA will "generally ban remote gambling advertisements and promotions", with the prohibition extending to "all forms of media, both electronic and non-electronic, including the Internet, broadcast and print media".

Remote gambling advertising is defined by the RGA as "any writing, still or moving picture, sign, symbol or other visual image, or any audible message", that gives publicity to, or otherwise promotes or is intended to promote —

(a) a particular remote gambling service;

(b) remote gambling services in general;

(c) a domain name or uniform resource locator (URL) that relates to a particular remote gambling service; or

(d) any words that are closely associated with a particular remote gambling service.

Under the RGA, "a person who publishes, or authorises the publication of, a remote gambling service advertisement in Singapore shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $20,000."

With video-gamers spanning a wide age range, another thing to note is that "a person who invites, or causes or permits, a young person to gamble in Singapore by means of remote communication shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine of not less than $20,000 and not more than $300,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 6 years or to both."

Only two operators -- Singapore Pools and the Singapore Turf Club -- are exempted from the RGA. Both have safety measures put in place and are unable to offer new gambling products.

Top image from SPH Magazines

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