Gambling in Private Establishments
The Gambling Control Act 2022 (GCA) comes into operation on 1 August 2022. The Common Gaming Houses Act 1961, the Betting Act 1960, the Private Lotteries Act 2011 and the Remote Gambling Act 2014 have been repealed on the same day.
Under Part 4 of the GCA, private establishments that wish to conduct gambling on its premises will be required to apply for and be issued with a licence by the Gambling Regulatory Authority of Singapore (GRA).
Notwithstanding the above, the GCA provides for a one-year transition period for private establishments previously exempted under the Common Gaming Houses (Private Bodies - Exemption) Notification (N8) (CGH-EN). This means that private establishments that currently provide a gambling service in accordance with the conditions specified in the Schedule to the CGH-EN can continue to provide the same gambling service and under the same conditions specified until 31 July 2023. Private establishments who wish to continue providing gambling services will be required to apply for a licence on or before 31 July 2023.
Please note that gaming without the acquisition of a chance of winning any money or money equivalent and/or any thing of value does not fall within the definition of gambling and will not require a licence nor be subject to regulation under the GCA.
GRA will provide further details on this website by March 2023.