• The Mandarin term “卜基” is a transliteration of the English word “bookie”.
• A bookmaker, or bookie, is a person whose job is to collect bets, calculate odds, and pay out winnings. It was originally translated into Chinese as “造书者” (literally, “a person who produces books”).
• Bookmakers or bookies are believed to have originated in the world of horse racing and betting activities, which were popular in the United Kingdom in the early 20th century.
• There are several explanations for the origin of the term “bookmaker” and its connection to gambling. One belief is that it comes from the action of gamblers and bet collectors recording details of their bets in a book or ledger. Another belief is that a due to the sheer volume of bets taking place, a large number of books had to be made to record them.
• The use of “卜基” to refer to bookies has been explained in various ways. One belief is that the character “卜” is used because of its relation to the ancient form of divination using oracle bones, while the character “基” refers to “the basis of all things”, reflecting the belief that bookies are able to predict the future. Another explanation is that this term was preferred over “造书者” because the character “书” is pronounced the same as “输” (“to lose”), which was thought to be inauspicious.
• The Government takes strict measures to stop bookies from engaging in illegal gambling operations and betting. Under the Betting Act, anyone who places a bet with illegal gambling operators can be fined an amount not exceeding S$5,000 or sentenced to imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months or both. If found guilty, any person who accepts bets shall be
  liable to a fine of not less than S$20,000 and not more than S$200,000 and shall be punished with imprisonment for a term not exceeding five years.
• The widespread use of the internet has worsened the problem of online betting. To tackle the issue, the Government implemented the Remote Gambling Act, which has been in effect since February 2015. Apart from those provided by Singapore Pools and the Singapore Turf Club, any other remote gambling activities are deemed illegal. Anyone found to be involved in such activities, including gamblers, betting intermediaries and operators, will be deemed to have committed a crime.

Throngs of people would gather every weekend at the pavilions, coffee shops and hawker centres at Jurong East Street 31, where bookies would brazenly collect illegal bets near the Turf Club’s betting outlets. (Shin Min Daily News, 26/4/2018)

赌外围马 (Malaysia, Hong Kong), 外围马集团 (Malaysia, Hong Kong)