Act 31 of 2023 amendment to permanent resident definition takes effect

Singapore's amended definition of "permanent resident" under the Casino Control Act 2006 took effect on 31 December 2024, according to the informal consolidation of the Act published by the Law Revision Commission¹. The change is attributed to Act 31 of 2023, which the Act's amendment history records as commencing on that date¹.

The consolidated text, which the publisher describes as the "Informal Consolidation, version in force from 31/12/2024 to 1/12/2025", carries the marker "[Act 31 of 2023 wef 31/12/2024]" against the amended provision¹. The same document records a separate deletion marked "[Deleted by Act 31 of 2023 wef 31/12/2024]"¹, indicating that Act 31 of 2023 both amended and removed text from the Act on the same date.

The Act governs casino licensing and regulation in Singapore. Under it, the Gambling Regulatory Authority of Singapore, described as the Casino Regulatory Authority of Singapore continued and renamed under the Gambling Regulatory Authority of Singapore Act 2022, holds licensing and regulatory functions over casino operations¹. The Act also caps the number of casino licenses: the Authority "must, during the period ending on (and including) 31 December 2030, ensure that there are not more than 2 casino licenses in force under this Act at any particular time"¹.

The consolidation lists numerous other commencement dates for amendments, including Act 29 of 2024 with effect from 30/10/2024, Act 24 of 2024 with effect from 14/11/2024, Act 14 of 2022 with effect from 1 August 2022, and Act 1 of 2022 with effect from 1 March 2022¹. The revised edition "incorporates all amendments up to and including 1 December 2021 and comes into operation on 31 December 2021"¹.

The text of the amended definition of permanent resident itself is not reproduced in the material available. What the new definition says, and how it differs from the previous one, has not been reported.

What it means for players

The Casino Control Act sets the framework for casino entry, exclusion and related matters in Singapore. The definition of permanent resident matters because residency status can determine how a person is treated under the Act, including in relation to the casino entry levy and casino exclusion orders and visit limits. Because the amended definition's wording has not been reported, the practical effect on locals, expats and visitors cannot be stated here. General background on what is legal is set out in the guide to gambling laws in Asia and the Singapore gambling guide.

What happens next

The consolidated version is stated to be in force from 31 December 2024 to 1 December 2025¹. No further commencement dates beyond those recorded in the document have been reported.