Singapore's exclusion system was extended to all tenants and occupiers on the public rental scheme from June 1, 2022, the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) said1. The change was announced alongside the introduction in Parliament of two draft gambling laws on Feb 14, 20221.
Under the system, the individuals covered are prohibited from entering casinos, fruit machine rooms in private clubs, or opening a Singapore Pools online gambling account1. Before the extension, the groups covered were recipients of ComCare, which provides social assistance for low-income individuals and families; recipients of legal aid; tenants under the public rental scheme with six or more months of rent arrears; and undischarged bankrupts1.
MSF said the system would be extended to all tenants and occupiers on the public rental scheme, which provides subsidized public rental housing, describing this as an "upstream" approach to prevent problem gambling among households with financial needs1.
"In a separate media release, the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) said that in tandem with the introduction of the Bills in Parliament, its exclusion system will be extended to more financially vulnerable individuals from June 1."
The two draft laws, the Gambling Control Bill and the Gambling Regulatory Authority of Singapore Bill, aim to set up a new regulatory body, the Gambling Regulatory Authority, to manage all forms of gambling1. At the time, the Casino Regulatory Authority regulated casinos, a Ministry of Home Affairs unit regulated online gambling and fruit machines, and the Singapore Totalisator Board governed physical gambling services run by lottery operator Singapore Pools1.
Other proposed changes included amending the definition of gambling to cover emerging products, with the scope of betting going beyond horse racing and sporting events to include the outcome of any competition, event or process; issuing class licenses for lower-risk products such as mystery boxes and business promotion lotteries; a three-tier penalty structure with the highest penalties on operators, followed by agents and then punters; mandatory jail terms for agents and operators; and criminalizing proxy gambling1. The minimum age for gambling would remain at 21, except at Singapore Pools' physical outlets, which would stay at 181. Physical social gambling among family and friends would be exempt if participants are members of the same family or know each other personally, the gambling is not conducted in the course of any business, it is not for the private gain of any person other than the extent of the game's winnings, and it is conducted on the premises of an individual's home1. Online social gambling would not be exempted1.
What it means for players
For people living in public rental housing in Singapore, the extension means all tenants and occupiers, not only those with six or more months of rent arrears, fall under the exclusion system1. Those covered cannot enter the city's casinos, cannot enter fruit machine rooms in private clubs, and cannot open a Singapore Pools online gambling account1. The exclusion applies to the named groups regardless of whether they gamble, and the practical effect is a bar on entry and on account opening rather than a penalty imposed after the fact1. Visitors and expats are not covered by this extension, which is tied to ComCare, legal aid, public rental tenancy and bankruptcy status1. The minimum age rules are unchanged: 21 for gambling generally, 18 at Singapore Pools' physical outlets1.
What happens next
The two bills were introduced in Parliament on Feb 14, 20221. The exclusion extension took effect on June 1, 20221. No further dates are given in the announcement.
For more on how bars on entry work, see Casino Exclusion Orders and Visit Limits in Singapore and Automatic Casino Exclusion: Bankrupts, Welfare Recipients and Others Barred by Law. Background on who may enter the city's two casinos is in Casinos in Singapore: Who Can Go In, and the wider legal picture is in Gambling Laws in Asia: What Is Legal in 12 Jurisdictions.
