Gambling Regulatory Authority inaugurated in Singapore

Singapore's Gambling Regulatory Authority (GRA) was inaugurated on Tuesday, Aug 16, 2022, at the Suntec Singapore Convention and Exhibition Centre, taking over from the Casino Regulatory Authority (CRA), which had overseen the city-state's two integrated resorts since 2008¹. The GRA regulates casinos, lotteries, sports betting and loot boxes in online video games, and was set up to respond to emerging gambling products as the line between gambling and gaming blurs¹.

The authority's powers come from the Gambling Control Act, which took effect this month³. Under it, a person found guilty of advertising unlawful gambling can be fined up to $20,000, and anyone who does not comply with an order to remove such an advertisement can be fined up to $50,000, jailed for up to two years, or both³. The GRA can also block access to online remote gambling services by directing the Infocomm Media Development Authority to order internet service providers to block them³.

Mr Ian Lee, GRA senior assistant director for policy and planning, said overseas-based operators remain difficult to pursue. "Operators who are based overseas can still easily offer their products to Singapore... We recognize it is not possible to enforce legislation when they are based overseas, but we can still (take action) through the blocking channel."³

At the ceremony, Mrs Josephine Teo, Second Minister for Home Affairs and Minister for Communications and Information, said the formation of the GRA is an important next step given how different the landscape will look in five years, and noted that technology has made gambling possible any time and anywhere¹. She said the Casino Control Act will be reviewed to enhance the casino regulatory regime, with the Ministry of Home Affairs to share details when ready¹.

A GRA spokesman said a $100 prize cap on mystery boxes, previously proposed by the Ministry of Home Affairs, may take effect as early as next year, adding that the cap "will prevent the inducement effect of high-value items and the normalization of gambling among youth"¹. Under the Gambling Control Act, private establishments must get a license to organize player-to-player games such as mahjong¹. The authority will also focus on streamlining license approvals, as the number of licenses it issues is expected to rise significantly¹.

Singapore Pools, the sole legal operator for lottery, sports betting and horse wagering, said it became a Licensed Operator under the GRA on 25 October 2022, and must meet licensing conditions including mandatory social safeguards, advertising and promotion protocols, and a Responsible Gambling Programme⁴. It said it does not accept bets or pay prizes to anyone underage and does not allow betting on credit⁴.

What it means for players

Gambling in Singapore now sits under a single regulator covering casinos, lotteries, sports betting and online products, rather than a casino-only watchdog¹. For anyone betting with a licensed operator, the licensing conditions described include social safeguards and responsible gambling measures⁴. For players using offshore sites, the practical change is the blocking power: the GRA can direct internet service providers to block access to online remote gambling services, and it says it prioritizes sites causing the most harm to users in Singapore³. Advertising unlawful gambling carries fines, and ignoring a removal order carries higher fines or jail³. The GRA has not reported which sites it has blocked or how many.

What happens next

The $100 prize cap on mystery boxes may come into effect as early as next year¹. The GRA will focus on streamlining license approvals in the coming months¹. The Casino Control Act will be reviewed, with details to be shared when ready¹.