President assents to Casino Control (Amendment) Act 2024

President Tharman Shanmugaratnam assented to the Casino Control (Amendment) Act 2024 on 30 September 2024, after Parliament passed the bill on 10 September 2024¹. The Act amends the Casino Control Act 2006 and makes consequential amendments to the Gambling Control Act 2022 and the Gambling Regulatory Authority of Singapore Act 2022¹. It was first published in the Government Gazette, Electronic Edition, on 3 October 2024 at 5 pm¹.

The Act comes into operation on a date the Minister appoints by notification in the Gazette¹. The published commencement schedule sets two dates: 30 October 2024 for sections including the long title amendment, entry levy changes and validation provisions, and 21 September 2026 for sections including the definitions in section 2 and the National Council on Problem Gambling provisions².

The Act amends the long title of the principal Act, replacing "gaming in casinos" with "gambling in casinos and the regulation of persons connected therewith"¹. It also replaces the reference to establishing the Casino Regulatory Authority of Singapore with "to provide for the functions of the National Council on Problem Gambling and measures against problem gambling"¹.

Among the specific changes, the entry levy in section 116(1)(a) rises from $100 to $150, and the levy in section 116(1)(b) rises from $2,000 to $3,000¹. The Act adds a provision allowing the Minister to vary the entry levies by order in the Gazette¹. It also introduces a requirement tied to casino operators entering into a transaction involving the payment of $4,000 or more in a single transaction to a patron or a person acting on behalf of a patron¹.

The Act expands the National Council on Problem Gambling's membership to not less than 8 and not more than 20 members, including the chairperson and every vice-chairperson¹. It changes a reference from "2 years" to "3 years" in one provision¹. It also creates a new offense: a casino-excluded person who contravenes a prohibition is guilty of an offense¹.

The Act introduces a definition of "casino-excluded person" covering people banned under exclusion orders, family exclusion orders, third party exclusion orders, self-exclusion, or visit limits¹. It also provides that a licensee who contravenes certain provisions is liable to disciplinary action rather than being guilty of an offense under section 48(3)¹.

The Act includes a validation provision stating that no legal proceedings may be instituted on or after 6 August 2024 in any court on account of or in respect of the collection or payment of any amount mentioned in subsection (1)¹. It also provides that if an approved acquisition does not complete or a person does not become the approved controller by 16 February 2025, the Minister's approval lapses¹.

What it means for players

For people gambling in Singapore's two casinos, the entry levy changes are the most direct effect. The standard levy rises from $100 to $150, and the annual levy rises from $2,000 to $3,000¹. These changes take effect from 30 October 2024 under the commencement schedule². The Minister can vary the levies by order in the Gazette¹.

The Act also changes how excluded persons are defined and treated. A casino-excluded person who contravenes a prohibition commits an offense¹. The definition covers people under exclusion orders, family exclusion orders, third party exclusion orders, self-exclusion and visit limits¹. The National Council on Problem Gambling, which handles family exclusion orders and visit limits, can have between 8 and 20 members¹.

The Act's expanded definitions of casino gambling, casino games, gaming machines and gaming programs take effect from 21 September 2026². These changes bring electronic devices and software used for casino gambling within the regulatory framework¹.

What happens next

The Act comes into operation on dates the Minister appoints by notification in the Gazette¹. The published schedule sets commencement on 30 October 2024 for some provisions and 21 September 2026 for others². The Act states that if an approved acquisition does not complete or a person does not become the approved controller by 16 February 2025, the Minister's approval lapses¹.