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1. The Minister for Home Affairs proposes to vary the Gambling Control (Remote Games of Chance – Class Licence) Order 2022 (the “Order”) to allow class licensees to operate in-game marketplaces for player-to-player transactions. Pursuant to Section 61(2) of the Gambling Control Act, the Gambling Regulatory Authority (“GRA”) is publishing this written notice to invite interested persons to make representations about the proposed variation.

Background

2. The Gambling Control Act (“GCA”) came into effect on 1 August 2022. Under the GCA, lower-risk gambling services are regulated under a class licensing regime. A class licence authorises an operator to which the order applies, to provide a gambling service, or a class or description of gambling service, without having to apply for a licence. However, the operator must meet the conditions spelt out in the relevant Class Licence Order before offering the gambling service, or the class or description of gambling service.

Current Class Licence Order for Remote Games of Chance

3. Currently, operators can offer remote games of chance (“RGOC”) under the Order if their games meet the conditions under any one of the following two types of RGOC. Below is a non-exhaustive summary of these conditions:

1. RGOC which are free of charge (“Type 1 RGOC”):

1. Involves an interactive game of chance that is played for a prize;
2. Is conducted in Singapore, or can be accessed by or delivered to players who are physically in Singapore; and
3. Does not involve any design element or game mechanic which is specified in the First Schedule to the Order and does not display or use any image of a gambling article specified in the Second Schedule to the Order.

1. RGOC which allow players to pay for chances to play (“Type 2 RGOC”):

1. Involves an interactive game of chance that is played for a prize;
2. Is conducted in Singapore, or can be accessed by or delivered to players who are physically in Singapore;
3. There are no monetary prizes, and prizes are designed for use within the same game or related games only; and
4. Operator does not, alone or under arrangement with any associate, provide a service whereby the prize is readily converted or made readily convertible into money, money equivalent or any thing else of value¹. The only exception is if the thing of value converted from the prize is used in in-game transactions when playing the same game or related games.

4. For more details on the conditions for each type of RGOC, please refer to the Order via the Singapore Statutes Online website (https://sso.agc.gov.sg).

Proposed Variation of Conditions 

5. GRA has reviewed the class licence conditions for RGOC.

6. The condition in paragraph 3(b)(iv) above disallows class licensees offering Type 2 RGOC from providing in-game marketplaces for players to transfer and trade prizes (such as in-game weapons) among themselves in exchange for money or money equivalent.

7. However, such in-game marketplaces are sometimes included as part of the design of games to enhance the player experience. Many players use these in-game marketplaces to trade and obtain game items to enhance their gaming experience. These player-to-player transactions are also taking place on third-party platforms outside the game environment. They do not pose law-and-order or social concerns.

8. Therefore, GRA proposes to amend the condition in paragraph 3(b)(iv) to allow operators of Type 2 RGOC to provide in-game marketplaces for players to trade prizes among themselves in exchange for money or money equivalent. Operators will not be allowed to buy back prizes from players through these marketplaces so as to avoid gambling inducement.² We will also require that prizes exchanged in in-game marketplaces be designed for use within the game or related games only.

Invitation to Provide Feedback

9. Members of the public are invited to provide feedback on the proposal by 20 August 2025 via email to feedback@gra.gov.sg.

10. All feedback received will be considered. However, we will not be able to individually acknowledge or address every one of them. Instead, we will aggregate them, in subsequent communication about the outcome of this public consultation exercise.

¹ As explained in the explanatory statement for the GCA, the term “any thing else of value” is intended to include things of value but not capture things that would generally be considered inconsequential. For example, while it is intended to include things such as a trophy, holiday, tickets or merchandise, it is not intended to include recognition prizes consisting solely of a certificate or title or other intangible items.

² If players are allowed to sell prizes (obtained from playing Type 2 RGOC) back to the operator, it induces players to pay for more chances to play, since there is “guaranteed monetisation” of the prizes.

The Gambling Regulatory Authority has renewed the casino licence of Marina Bay Sands Pte. Ltd. (“MBS”) under Section 49 of the Casino Control Act 2006 (“CCA”). This is after assessing that MBS has fulfilled the requirements set out in Section 45 of the CCA. The licence was renewed for another 3 years with effect from 26 April 2025.

Communications & International Relations Branch
Gambling Regulatory Authority of Singapore

The Gambling Regulatory Authority (“GRA”) has renewed the casino licence of Resorts World at Sentosa Pte. Ltd. (“RWS”) under Section 49 of the Casino Control Act 2006 (“CCA”) for a period of two years with effect from 6 February 2025. This is after considering the matters set out in Section 45 of the CCA. 

Under Section 45 of the CCA, GRA will consider, amongst other matters, the ability of RWS to develop, maintain and promote its Integrated Resort (“IR”) as a compelling tourist destination that meets prevailing market demand and industry standards. In doing so, GRA has considered the independent opinion of the Evaluation Panel (“EP”) appointed by the Minister for Trade and Industry under Section 45A of the CCA, as well as the views of the Ministry of Trade & Industry (“MTI”), Singapore Tourism Board (“STB”) and Sentosa Development Corporation (“SDC”). The EP has assessed that RWS’s tourism performance for the period of evaluation from 1 January 2021 to 31 December 2023 was unsatisfactory, with a number of areas that require rectification and substantial improvement. The EP has recommended that the next evaluation be carried out in two years, in 2026.

Under Regulation 5 of the Casino Control (Casino Licence and Fees) Regulations 2009, GRA may specify a licence term shorter than three years. Having considered the matters in Section 45 of the CCA, including the opinion of the EP, GRA has renewed RWS’s casino licence for two years, with effect from 6 February 2025. 

GRA will continue to work with MTI, STB, and SDC, to ensure that RWS meets the requirement to develop, maintain and promote its IR as a compelling tourist destination. 

Communications & International Relations Branch
Gambling Regulatory Authority of Singapore

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has announced the introduction of the Casino Control (Amendment) Bill for First Reading in Parliament on 6 August 2024.

The Bill amends the Casino Control Act (CCA) to:

1. Enhance the operational effectiveness of our casino regulatory regime;
2. Tighten the regulation of the casinos and licensees; and
3. Strengthen protection for vulnerable groups.

Since the last substantial amendment to the CCA in 2012, there have been changes to the operating environment and gaming technology. The amendments in the Bill help ensure that the casino regulatory regime remains effective and keeps pace with changes to the wider gambling landscape.

For more information, please refer to MHA’s press release here.

Communications & International Relations Branch
Gambling Regulatory Authority of Singapore

The Gambling Regulatory Authority (“GRA”) has imposed financial penalties amounting to S$2.25 million on RWS for failure to perform customer due diligence checks required under the Casino Control Act 2006 (“CCA”) and the Casino Control (Prevention of Money Laundering and Terrorism Financing) Regulations 2009 (“PMLTF Regulations”).

In 2020, GRA directed casino operators RWS and Marina Bay Sands Pte. Ltd. to conduct a review of certain patrons’ activities. RWS then discovered non-compliances for some transactions and reported them to GRA. GRA conducted further investigations which revealed that between December 2016 and December 2019, RWS had failed to perform prescribed customer due diligence checks for certain transactions where RWS’s employees collected cash of S$5,000 or more from third parties for purposes of depositing into the accounts of RWS’s patrons¹.

When accepting these cash deposits, RWS had failed to establish the identity of the third party depositors. RWS did not record the requisite identifying information, nor did it verify these identities using reliable and independent sources as required under the PMLTF Regulations.

Although RWS had a PMLTF framework and controls in place, there were systemic failures in certain controls, resulting in failure to detect the non-compliances. When the non-compliances were detected, RWS took prompt action to improve its processes and engaged an independent party to review their standard operating procedures. RWS has also undertaken a review of its corporate culture, with a view to strengthening its internal controls and corporate governance.

GRA has cancelled the special employee licence² for one of the employees involved in the breaches, and is conducting further investigations to assess the culpability of the other special employees involved.  

[¹Casino operators are required to perform customer due diligence checks when they receive a cash deposit of S$5,000 or more into a patron’s deposit account.]

[²A casino special employee licence is issued by GRA to individuals who work in casino-related functions or make decisions on casino operations.]

Communications & International Relations Branch
Gambling Regulatory Authority of Singapore

The Gambling Regulatory Authority ("GRA") has issued licences to operators providing a gambling service consisting of making available one or more gaming machines (also known as fruit machines or jackpot machines) to others to play (“operators of gaming machine rooms”) under section 54(1) of the Gambling Control Act 2022 (“GCA”), after assessing that the applicants have fulfilled the suitability criteria under section 54(2) of the GCA. The licences will take effect from 1 November 2022, with a validity period of up to three years. Please click here for the list of licensed operators of gaming machine rooms and their approved gambling venues.