• Subscribe
  • Magazines
  • About
  • Contact
  • Advertise
Saturday 9 August 2025
  • zh-hant 中文
  • ja 日本語
  • en English
IAG
Advertisement
  • Newsfeed
  • Mag Articles
  • Video
  • Opinion
  • Tags
  • Regional
    • Africa
    • Australia
    • Cambodia
    • China
    • CNMI
    • Europe
    • Hong Kong
    • India
    • Japan
    • Laos
    • Latin America
    • Malaysia
    • Macau
    • Nepal
    • New Zealand
    • North America
    • North Korea
    • Philippines
    • Russia
    • Singapore
    • South Korea
    • Sri Lanka
    • Thailand
    • UAE
    • Vietnam
  • Events
  • Contributors
  • SUBSCRIBE FREE
  • 中文
  • 日本語
No Result
View All Result
IAG
  • Newsfeed
  • Mag Articles
  • Video
  • Opinion
  • Tags
  • Regional
    • Africa
    • Australia
    • Cambodia
    • China
    • CNMI
    • Europe
    • Hong Kong
    • India
    • Japan
    • Laos
    • Latin America
    • Malaysia
    • Macau
    • Nepal
    • New Zealand
    • North America
    • North Korea
    • Philippines
    • Russia
    • Singapore
    • South Korea
    • Sri Lanka
    • Thailand
    • UAE
    • Vietnam
  • Events
  • Contributors
  • SUBSCRIBE FREE
  • 中文
  • 日本語
No Result
View All Result
IAG
No Result
View All Result

Singapore to permit social family gambling under proposed amendments to gambling law

Ben Blaschke by Ben Blaschke
Mon 12 Jul 2021 at 18:51
Singapore’s international visitation up, spending down in 1Q19
62
SHARES
1.6k
VIEWS
Print Friendly, PDF & Email

Singapore’s Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has proposed a series of amendments to gambling laws that would allow social gambling within the family home but place caps on video game mystery boxes and other prize-based rewards.

According to a detailed statement issued Monday, the MHA will amend gambling legislation this year with the goal of ensuring Singapore’s laws and regulations remain effective in the face of evolving gambling products and business models.

Among the key changes proposed, subject to public feedback, is an exemption on public gambling laws for social games among family and friends which would see such activity become “explicitly permitted under legislation.”

The MHA said it seeks to take a practical approach towards gambling legislation that only prohibits where there is a risk to law-and-order or potential to cause social harm.

While the exemption would not apply to online social gambling, the MHA said, “We recognise that gambling amongst family and friends in homes is socially acceptable amongst many Singaporeans, and poses low law and order concerns. Hence, we are proposing to exempt physical social gambling among family and friends, subject to conditions that safeguard against criminal exploitation.

“Social gambling among family and friends will thus be explicitly permitted under legislation. We will take strong enforcement action against syndicates which exploit this exemption to conduct illegal gambling activities.”

Also on the MHA’s radar are video and arcade games offering potentially lucrative prizes of chance such as smartphone and game consoles that can easily be traded for cash. Noting that “the boundaries between gambling and gaming are blurring,” the MHA is proposing a SG$100 cap for mystery boxes, arcade games and claw machines that it says will address the inducement effect of high-value prizes without increasing the regulatory burden on operators.

However, operators across all forms of gambling would face greater sanctions than agents or players in instances of illegal activity under proposed changes to penalty structures.

“We propose to raise penalties for repeat offenders who facilitate or operate illegal gambling services, to increase deterrence,” the MHA said. “We are not proposing to raise the penalties for repeat offenders for punters of illegal gambling services for now. We intend to focus our enforcement efforts on illegal gambling agents and operators.”

Key to proposed changes would be a standardized definition of gambling across all Singapore legislation with goal of making it “technology-neutral” to cover both existing and emerging gambling products.

Pointing to the success of its integrated resort model since the 2010 opening of Resorts World Sentosa and Marina Bay Sands, the MHA said, “Singapore adopts a strict but practical approach in its regulation of gambling.

“It is not practical nor desirable in fact, to disallow all forms of gambling, as this will just drive it underground, and cause more law and order issues. Instead, we license or exempt some gambling activities, with strict safeguards put in place.

“Our laws governing gambling seek to maintain law and order, and minimise social harm caused by problem gambling.”

RelatedPosts

Filipino maintenance worker passes away in Wynn Palace work-related accident

Low VIP hold hurts Wynn Macau’s 2Q25 results as operating revenues hit US$883 million

Fri 8 Aug 2025 at 05:17
10 Years Ago: Rearing for a comeback

Resorts World Sentosa upgrade disruption sees 2Q25 gaming revenues fall 8% sequentially to US$313 million

Thu 7 Aug 2025 at 19:07
Vietnam gaming

Vietnam to introduce casino entry fee in place of financial capacity requirement under revamped pilot program for locals

Tue 5 Aug 2025 at 19:02
Legal battle continues to hurt Donaco’s bottom line

Donaco shareholders approve US$35 million privatization bid

Mon 4 Aug 2025 at 15:36
Load More
Tags: casinosgamblingMinistry of Home AffairsSingaporesocial gaming
Share25Share4
Ben Blaschke

Ben Blaschke

A former sports journalist in Sydney, Australia, Ben has been Managing Editor of Inside Asian Gaming since early 2016. He played a leading role in developing and launching IAG Breakfast Briefing in April 2017 and oversees as well as being a key contributor to all of IAG’s editorial pursuits.

Current Issue

Editorial – Better late than never

Editorial – Better late than never

by Ben Blaschke
Thu 31 Jul 2025 at 07:13

Inside Asian Gaming has in recent weeks been hearing increasing chatter around a possible move by Vietnamese authorities to introduce...

Angel’s Yasushi Shigeta

Angel’s Yasushi Shigeta

by Ben Blaschke
Thu 31 Jul 2025 at 07:08

Yasushi Shigeta, Chairman and owner of one of the world’s largest gaming industry suppliers, Angel Group, sits down with Inside...

The Magic Number

The Magic Number

by David Bonnet
Thu 31 Jul 2025 at 06:41

In this in-depth deep dive into the evolution of the Asian gaming landscape, David Bonnet argues that many regional jurisdictions...

Rashid Suliman – A road well traveled

Rashid Suliman – A road well traveled

by Ben Blaschke
Thu 31 Jul 2025 at 02:45

Rashid Suliman, Vice President of Global Gaming Asia-Pacific for casino solutions provider TransAct Technologies, provides some insight into his unique...

Evolution Asia
Your browser does not support HTML5 video.
Aristocrat
GLI
Nustar
SABA
Mindslot
Solaire
Hann
Tecnet
HKUST
NWR

Related Posts

IGT to unveil comprehensive game portfolio, new jackpots at Australasian Gaming Expo

IGT to unveil comprehensive game portfolio, new jackpots at Australasian Gaming Expo

by Newsdesk
Fri 8 Aug 2025 at 12:56

IGT will showcase 10 new game families as well as a revamped jackpot strategy for the local ANZ market at the upcoming Australasian Gaming Expo (AGE) taking place at ICC Sydney from 12 to 14 August 2025. This will also...

Large-scale events center at Wynn Palace part of US$750 million worth of Macau project investments planned by Wynn through end-2026

Large-scale events center at Wynn Palace part of US$750 million worth of Macau project investments planned by Wynn through end-2026

by Ben Blaschke
Fri 8 Aug 2025 at 05:54

Wynn Macau Ltd is looking to spend up to US$750 million through the end of 2026 on a series of upgrade and expansion projects at its Macau resorts, including development of a new large-scale events center at Wynn Palace. The...

Filipino maintenance worker passes away in Wynn Palace work-related accident

Low VIP hold hurts Wynn Macau’s 2Q25 results as operating revenues hit US$883 million

by Ben Blaschke
Fri 8 Aug 2025 at 05:17

The Macau operations of Wynn Resorts Ltd generated operating revenues of US$883 million in the three months to 30 June 2025, basically flat with the same period in 2024 due in part to low hold across the board – particularly...

MGM China lives up to new 50% dividend payout policy as total 1H25 interim dividend payout declared at US$152 million

MGM China lives up to new 50% dividend payout policy as total 1H25 interim dividend payout declared at US$152 million

by Ben Blaschke
Fri 8 Aug 2025 at 04:59

MGM China on Thursday declared an interim dividend of HK$0.313 per share for the period ended on 30 June 2025, amounting to a total payout of HK$1.19 billion (US$152 million) and living up to its recently updated dividend policy by...

Your browser does not support the video tag.


IAG

© 2005-2025
Inside Asian Gaming.
All rights reserved.

  • SUBSCRIBE FREE
  • NEWSFEED
  • MAG ARTICLES
  • VIDEO
  • OPINION
  • TAGS
  • REGIONAL
  • EVENTS
  • CONSULTING
  • CONTRIBUTORS
  • MAGAZINES
  • ABOUT
  • CONTACT
  • ADVERTISE
  • 中文
  • 日本語

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In

Add New Playlist

No Result
View All Result
  • 中文
  • 日本語
  • Subscribe
  • Newsfeed
  • Mag Articles
  • Video
  • Opinion
  • Tags
  • Regional
  • Events
  • Contributors
  • Magazines
  • Advertise
  • Contact
  • About
  • Home for G2E Asia

© 2005-2025
Inside Asian Gaming.
All rights reserved.

  • 中文
  • English
  • 日本語