Gambling regulation in Singapore: amendments to Casino Control Act enter force today
The reforms aim to strengthen casino regulation and tighten protections for vulnerable groups.
Singapore.- The Gambling Regulatory Authority (GRA) has announced that amendments to the Casino Control Act passed on September 10 have come into effect today (October 30). The Casino Control (Amendment) Act 2024 is intended to enhance operational effectiveness, tighten the regulation of casinos and licensees, strengthen protection for vulnerable groups and regularise casino entry levies collected from April 4 to May 7 2024.
Under the revised rules, it is now an offence for “any person” to destroy or falsify documents, knowing that the document is required by the GRA. The amendment also aligns penalties for offences related to casino operations with similar laws in other areas. This includes increased penalties for: providing false or misleading information to GRA and a minor refusing to give particulars or using false evidence of age to enter a casino, which now align with similar offences under the Gambling Control Act.
The bill also gives the GRA the power to take disciplinary action against operators and special employees for regulatory breaches even after their licences have lapsed if the disciplinary action had commenced before the licence lapsing. The GRA retains the authority to regulate gaming software used on mobile devices within casino premises.
The bill also transfers the authority to authorise the primary stakeholders of casino operators from the GRA to the Minister for Home Affairs, which the government sees as more suited to “guarantee ongoing harmony between the integrated resorts (IRs) and the strategic goals of the Singapore government.” The GRA must approve all casino games, gaming machines, and chips.
The bill also gives the GRA the power to regulate betting and lotteries in casinos in addition to games of chance. Additional measures include returning entry levies for Singapore citizens and permanent residents to SG$150 daily and SG$3,000 annually after a period of lower rates.
Tourism in Singapore: 1.27 million visitors in September
The Singapore Tourism Board (STB) has reported that the country received 1.27 million visitors in September. That’s a 12.3 per cent increase in year-on-year terms but a decline of 17.53 per cent sequentially.
Singapore hosted over 540,000 overnight visitors, marking a 34.7 per cent decrease compared to last year. On average, guests stayed for 3.29 days in the city-state, representing a 9.9 per cent decline. The largest number of visitors came from China (217,000), followed by Indonesia, Malaysia, Australia and India. In the first nine months of the year, the country received 12.59 million tourists. China was the top source market, with 2.47m visits.
