Singapore's Parliament passed the Law Enforcement and Other Matters Act 2024 on 2 April 2024, and the President assented to it on 24 April 20241. The Act, numbered No. 16 of 2024, amends the Miscellaneous Offences (Public Order and Nuisance) Act 1906, the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) Act 2008, the Police Force Act 2004 and certain other Acts1.
Among the amended laws are the Casino Control Act 2006 and the Gambling Control Act 2022, both listed in Part 2 of the Act, headed "AMENDMENTS RELATING TO CRIMINAL PROCEDURE"1. The published text does not set out what those two amendments change; that has not been reported in the material available1.
The Act's stated purpose is to "update and enhance certain procedures relating to law enforcement, insert new offenses and update other matters"1. It also creates a new Part 6A in the Miscellaneous Offences (Public Order and Nuisance) Act 1906 covering offenses relating to misuse of SIM cards, including the unlawful provision of a SIM card registered using a person's personal information, and the buying, renting or supplying of a SIM card registered using another person's personal information or an unregistered SIM card for criminal activity1.
"An Act to amend the Miscellaneous Offences (Public Order and Nuisance) Act 1906, the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) Act 2008, the Police Force Act 2004 and certain other Acts to update and enhance certain procedures relating to law enforcement, insert new offenses and update other matters."
Penalties under the new SIM card provisions differ by offense and by whether the offender is an individual or not1:
| Offence | Individual | Other cases |
|---|---|---|
| Unlawful provision of SIM card registered using own personal information (s 39B) | Fine up to $10,000, jail up to 3 years, or both | Fine up to $20,000 |
| Unlawful provision of personal information for registering a SIM card (s 39C) | Fine up to $10,000, jail up to 3 years, or both | Fine up to $20,000 |
Every offense under the new Part is deemed an arrestable offense under the Criminal Procedure Code 2010, and an offense under sections 39B(1), 39C(1), 39D(1) or (2), 39F(1) or 39G(1) committed wholly or partly outside Singapore may be dealt with as if committed wholly within Singapore1.
What it means for players
The Act amends the Casino Control Act 2006 and the Gambling Control Act 2022, the two statutes that govern casino gambling and general gambling in Singapore1. The published text does not describe the substance of those amendments, so their practical effect on players is not yet clear from the record1.
The SIM card provisions are separate from gambling law but touch on the same payment and account infrastructure. A SIM card registered using another person's personal information, or an unregistered SIM card, bought, rented or supplied for use in committing an offense or causing wrongful gain or loss is now an offense, and such offenses can be prosecuted in Singapore even if committed partly abroad1. For anyone gambling in Singapore, the relevant change is that the legal framework around casino and gambling activity has been amended, with the details of those amendments not yet reported1.
What happens next
The Act's commencement is staggered. Sections 2, 4 to 8, 11, 12 and Part 4 came into operation on 17 June 2024; sections 9 and 10 on 18 November 2024; and sections 3, 13 and 14 on 1 January 20251. Section 3 inserts the new Part 6A on SIM card offenses1. The Act's short title provision states it "comes into operation on a date that the Minister appoints by notification in the Gazette"2.
The status shown on Singapore Statutes Online is "Uncommenced" as at 25 September 2026, alongside the three commencement dates listed above1. The sources do not explain the discrepancy between the listed commencement dates and the "Uncommenced" status1.
For the wider regional picture, see Gambling Laws in Asia: What Is Legal in 12 Jurisdictions and Can I Gamble in Singapore?.
