Singapore has introduced an amendment to its Casino Control Bill, which underwent its first reading in the country’s Parliament on Tuesday. The bill introduces some interesting measures aimed at tightening regulations and improving effectiveness, while also aiming to protect vulnerable groups.
One of the main elements aimed at improving casino operator (CO) conduct is the move to allow operators to share patron data with each other without requiring consent from the patron.
The authorities note that this is in line with its efforts to tackle money laundering, terrorism financing and the proliferation of financing. It also fits with Singapore’s recent moves to best align with the guidelines of the Financial Action Task Force.
This was evidenced by another recent move to lower the reporting threshold for cash deposits in Singapore’s casinos to SG$4,000 ($2,950) – a separate bill expected to come into effect sometime this year.
Another interesting addition is making it an offense to withdraw bets after the result of a game is known. Previously it was only an offense to place a bet after the result is known. This could also potentially apply to past posting (or late betting) – where players change their bet by switching out the gaming chips after the results are known. A famous example of this is the Savannah Move, where bets were only altered after a negative outcome was found, allowing for legitimate wins and decreased losses for the player.
The bill further introduces an offense for recording non-card games with a device. While recording of card games is an offense, the legislation does not currently cover gaming machines, with authorities noting there had ‘encountered cases of patrons who attempt to cheat the casinos by recording play patterns of non-card games’.
The bill also aims to further strengthen oversight of casino operators by evaluating their suitability to hold a casino license based upon ‘whether the CO conducts business in a manner which is unethical or will bring discredit to casino gambling in Singapore’.
It also covers ‘whether the CO has poor corporate governance practices or weak internal controls (eg disregarding whistleblower reports alleging misconduct of employees)’.
The changes allow for the Gambling Regulatory Authority (GRA) to take disciplinary action against the casino operators.
Two other interesting changes were also highlighted in the bill amendment proposal – expanding the scope of the GRA to regulate betting and lotteries in casinos and approve gaming software developed on mobile devices.
Regarding the former, the authorities note that ‘there are currently no plans to allow casinos to carry out betting and lotteries’, however it’s included ‘to pre-empt any future changes in the gambling landscape’.
For the second, the GRA would be allowed to approve gaming software developed for mobile devices. Currently, the GRA only approves gaming machines – comprising the hardware and software components.
A further change would allow the gaming regulator to assess which instruments can be regarded as chips. ‘This will allow for new wagering instruments (eg virtual credits) to be used in the future, should GRA assess them to be suitable’.
This begs the question of whether virtual assets, such as cryptocurrency, could later be deemed a type of betting instrument.
Another alteration aims to streamline to approval process for gaming machines, meaning that all gaming machine manufacturers or suppliers will only need to seek approval from the GRA if they ‘have control over how gaming machines are designed and manufactured’. Those with no control over this process will no longer be subject to approval.
The proposed amendments include allowing the GRA’s Evaluation Panel to include ‘future industry standards and market demand’ when assessing integrated resort operator’s tourism performance.
One funny alteration is in regards to the casino entry levies, which had increased during a five-year period to SG$150 per day and SG$3,000 per year (for Singapore citizens and permanent residents). The five-year period ended in April but authorities forgot to extend it, meaning the levies automatically reverted to the lower rates on April 4th of this year. Authorities have now moved to regularize the higher entry levies and ‘have tightened our processes to avoid a repeat of such an incident’.
While the amendments are extensive, they do not appear to be due to any increase in crime or misconduct by casino operators, with authorities noting that only 0.2 percent of all reported crime cases in 2023 ‘were at the casinos’.
Additionally, ‘probable pathological and problem gaming rates among Singapore residents have been low and stable at about 1 percent’.
Speaking of the new changes, Singapore’s Minister of State, Sun Xueling, noted that “These amendments will ensure that our laws remain effective and relevant in governing the changing gambling landscape.”
