Changes to Singapore’s casino sector regulations have already been enforced, the city-state Ministry of Home Affairs announced.
The Casino Control (Amendment) Act 2024, was approved by Singapore’s Parliament on September 10th, 2024, and came into effect on October 30th.
The legislative update aims to enhance Singapore’s casino regulatory regime’s operational effectiveness, tighten casinos and licensees’ regulations, strengthen protections for vulnerable groups, and regularize entry levies collected earlier this year.
Among the key changes, the Act introduces new offenses related to document falsification, expanding liability to any person handling such documents required by the Gambling Regulatory Authority (GRA).
Additionally, penalties for providing false information to the GRA will be aligned with those in the Banking Act, while penalties for minors using false identification to enter casinos will match those under the Gambling Control Act.
The Act also expands the GRA’s authority by allowing disciplinary actions against casino operators and special employees even after their licenses have lapsed, provided disciplinary proceedings began before the license expiration.
Further amendments will enhance the approval process for main shareholders, substantial shareholders, and controllers of casino operators. The Minister for Home Affairs will oversee approvals for main shareholders, while the GRA will manage suitability assessments for controllers and substantial shareholders. The criteria for identifying associated corporations under the controlled shareholdings regime will also be tightened.
In a significant move to deter casual gambling, the Act will formalize the current entry levy rates—SG$150 ($114) for daily access and SG$3,000 ($2,265) for annual access. The higher rates collected from April 4th to May 7th, 2024, will also be regularized, aligning with the government’s intentions to maintain these safeguards.