Newsroom

Minister for Communications and Information, Second Minister for Home Affairs, Mrs Josephine Teo,

Permanent Secretaries Mr. Pang Kin Keong and Mr. Chew Hock Yong,

GRA Board Members and Staff,

Distinguished Guests,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Good afternoon,

I warmly welcome you to the inauguration of the Gambling Regulatory Authority.

2. On 1 August, the Casino Regulatory Authority (CRA) became the Gambling Regulatory Authority (GRA). This followed the Government’s decision to expand the mandate of CRA. The aim is to make it the single authority to regulate the entire gambling landscape in Singapore. The transition took many months of preparation and hard work involving staff of CRA, MHA, MSF and AGC. My appreciation to all of them. The gambling laws were reviewed. The organisation, processes and systems were revised.  Staff were trained. 

3. Today’s inauguration of GRA marks the culmination of all this work - a new chapter in gambling regulation in Singapore and renewal of our purpose to protect the people of Singapore from the harm of gambling. 

4. GRA stands on the strong foundation of our casino regulatory experience of 14 years. We are grateful to the successive CRA boards and past and present CRA management for their key roles in laying this strong foundation. I am happy that our former Chairman Mr. Lee Tzu Yang and Chief Executives Mr. Raja Kumar and Mr. Lau Peet Meng are here with us today to celebrate this milestone.

5. GRA has the same focus as CRA – our mission is to protect the people of Singapore by keeping gambling honest and free of criminal influence, and minimising the harm from gambling. Our vision is to be a trusted and agile gambling regulator for a Safe Singapore. GRA’s refreshed corporate identity was co-created with all its officers. They have renewed their commitment to GRA’s purpose.

6. GRA seeks to strengthen the regulatory acumen and deepen its partnerships with the Police, MSF and NCPG, as well as fellow regulators overseas. In doing so, we will maintain our effectiveness and credibility as a gambling regulator.

7. We will continue to transform our processes, people and workplace. With our expanded mandate, we will redouble our effort to enhance our operational agility, develop our officers, and foster a digitally-enabled workplace. We will equip our officers with new skills and competencies such as data analytics and artificial intelligence. GRA will leverage on technology to digitalise and streamline our regulatory processes.

8. To all GRA staff – your dedication and hard work has brought us here, to this new start point. Congratulations! I hope the shared ethos and deep sense of purpose will continue to bind us together as One GRA. I also hope that you will continue to build public trust and confidence in GRA as a regulator and institution; the stronger this public trust and confidence, the more likely GRA can scale greater heights and achieve its vision and mission.

9. Thank you.