--- title: "Singapore — Licensing and regulation: Can we get a licence? | advennt.io" canonical: https://advennt.io/jurisdictions/singapore/licensing/ source_html: /jurisdictions/sg/licensing/index.html description: "Singapore — Licensing and regulation: Can we get a licence?" generated_at: 2026-11-07T14:55:18Z content_sha256: 33288ae939ded56e08fcc29d48ab19e5205f2357fb315f8d771ddb1936389495 generator: "fe-fleet/md-twin@1.0" --- # Singapore — Licensing and regulation: Can we get a licence? | advennt.io [Jurisdictions](/jurisdictions/) › [Singapore](/jurisdictions/singapore/) › Licensing and regulation # Singapore Gambling — Licensing and regulation: Can we get a licence? Key section parameters Jurisdiction Singapore (SG) Regulator Recorded in register Favourability Unfavourable Confidence Confirmed Review status Expert approved · 2 post-review updates · Not reviewed · In expert review scope Last collected 4 Nov 2026 Summary answer ## Licence Triggers Under the GCA, any activity that falls under the definition of “gambling” would require licensing (including by way of class licences). However, the GCA provides exceptions for physical social gambling (see the entry on “Bingo” under “Product Coverage” below). ## Type of licens… 4 Oct 2026 Read update GRA now holds pre-approval authority over gaming software deployed by casino operators, including software running on mobile devices, under the Casino Control (Amendment) Act 2024, a primary legislative instrument whose second tranche commenced 21 September 2026. Approved mobile software is confined to operating and remaining playable within casino premises, so no mobile-first distribution channel exists outside the licensed floor. Alongside this, the Casino Control (Prescribed Casino Chips) Regulations 2026, a subsidiary instrument, prescribe electronic credits as casino chips, permitting cashless wagering drawn from a patron's gaming account or e-wallet; GRA has stated it will not extend this instrument class to cryptocurrency, citing money-laundering risk. These are licence-condition-adjacent, operator-facing controls layered onto the existing two-licensee casino structure rather than changes to who may hold a licence. 28 Aug 2026 Read update Singapore's licensing framework for gambling rests on the Gambling Control Act 2022, durable primary legislation administered by the Gambling Regulatory Authority together with the Ministry of Home Affairs. This cycle's material development is confined to the Act's subsidiary-regulation mechanism: GRA and MHA confirmed on 7 May 2026 that class-licence regulations extending oversight to blind boxes and trading card packs, including products such as Pokemon, One Piece, and Yu-Gi-Oh, remain in active drafting, with industry consultation ongoing and no confirmed in-force date. The enabling power under the Gambling Control Act is durable, but the subsidiary regulation itself, once made, will sit at a more fragile, amendable tier, and its precise scope and disclosure requirements cannot yet be confirmed. No official regulation text has been published, which the record treats as a structural gap rather than an inferred stability, leaving licensees and prospective entrants in the collectibles retail space without a finalised compliance target this cycle. ## Full section analysis ## Licence Triggers Under the GCA, any activity that falls under the definition of “gambling” would require licensing (including by way of class licences). However, the GCA provides exceptions for physical social gambling (see the entry on “Bingo” under “Product Coverage” below). ## Type of licenses needed In respect of land-based casino gambling, the CCA requires licences to be obtained in order to operate land-based casinos. In respect of other forms of gambling, the GCA sets out the following types of licences that may be granted for: Specified forms of gambling Specified forms of betting operations, conduct of gaming or conduct of lotteries Gambling or betting operations, conduct of gaming or conduct of lotteries in connection with specified types of gambling venues Facilities of a specified nature, or adapted or presented in a specific way that is used for gambling Specified forms of gaming machines Specified types of gambling articles or prizes Class licences for lower risk gambling activities With the GRA’s establishment on 1 August 2022, a set of Transitional Arrangements For Other Gambling Services was implemented to ease the transition of other gambling services coming under the GRA’s ambit. Singapore Pools was allowed to provide lotteries and betting services for up to 5 months from 1 August 2022. If it wished to continue after the 5 months, Singapore Pools was required to apply for and obtain a licence from the GRA. Singapore Pools was subsequently granted a licence by the GRA in October 2022 Gaming Machine Room operators and Tombola operators that had a permit issued under the Private Lotteries Act 2011 before 1 August 2022 were allowed to continue operating until the permit expired. Thereafter, they will be required to apply for and obtain a license from the GRA to continue their operations. Private establishments that were covered under the Common Gaming Houses (Private Bodies – Exemption) Notification (N8) could continue providing the same gambling services under the same conditions until 31 July 2023. After 31 July 2023, they will be required to apply for a licence from the GRA to continue their operations. Effective from 2 August 2022, operators of cause-related, survey-related and fundraiser lotteries and games of chance need not apply for a licence from the GRA if they were able to satisfy the conditions in their respective class licences. Operators of trade promotion and incidental games of chance and lotteries were allowed to continue their activities up until 31 January 2023 if they satisfied the requirements in the Common Gaming Houses (Exemption) Notification (N4) and the Remote Gambling (Exempt Persons) Order 2015. From 31 January 2023, operators of trade promotion and games of chance and lotteries need not apply for a licence from the GRA if they were able to satisfy the conditions in their respective class licences. Effective from 15 August 2022, operators of remote games of chance need not apply for a licence from the GRA if they were able to satisfy the conditions in their respective class licences. ## Period of licence & renewal process Land-based casino licence A casino licence is valid for three years, or a shorter duration if the GRA determines that a 3-year term is not appropriate. Renewals must be made no later than 6 months before the date of expiry of the licence and must be accompanied by documents as required by the GRA. Online gambling and land-based non-casino gambling licence The GCA does not specify the duration of licences for online gambling and land-based non-casino gambling. The duration of the licence granted will depend on various factors such as the nature of the gambling activity licensed (e.g. whether it is recurring or one-off) etc. For example, Singapore Pools’ current licence to conduct betting operations, gaming and lotteries was renewed by the GRA for a term of five years with effect from 25 October 2025. ## Application timeframe and phases Neither the GCA nor the CCA prescribes any timelines for applications for licences to be made. These applications are likely to be evaluated on a case-by-case basis and the timelines would vary for each application. List of documents & type of information needed to support application Land-based casino licence Documents as specified by GRA showing the applicant’s ownership of the designated site on which the casino is to operate Disclosure of corporate or individual information in a form provided by GRA of the applicant and associates of the applicant Any other documents that the GRA may deem necessary to determine the application ## Geographical cover The GCA applies to any gambling operation that is located in Singapore, or which targets persons physically present in Singapore, whether or not the gambling operation is located in Singapore. A good proportion of the CCA generally applies to the operation of casinos within Singapore. However, some provisions of the CCA regarding consideration of offences involving dishonesty or moral turpitude extend to such offences committed outside Singapore. ## Mechanics of the licence process Upon receiving an application for a licence or to renew a non-casino gambling licence, the GRA may carry out investigations or inquiries in relation to the application. This may include an inspection of the premises at which the applicant intends to provide the gambling service authorised by the licence, as well as any vehicle, equipment or other thing that the applicant intends to use in order to provide its gambling service. Upon receiving an application for a licence or to renew a casino license, the GRA must carry out all investigations and enquiries as it considers necessary to enable it to consider the application properly. This may include taking a photograph, fingerprints or palm prints of the applicant being investigated, sending a copy of the application and the biometric information to the Commissioner of Police and have the Commissioner of Police or any such authority inquire into and report on the matter as the GRA requests. The GRA may refuse an application if the applicant refuses to provide the aforementioned biometric data to them. ## Bad Actor / Cooling off periods The GCA provides that the GRA will consider if a gambling operator, its licensees, responsible executives and/or key officers have been convicted of any offence under Singapore’s gambling and serious crimes-related legislation, as well as any offence involving dishonesty and moral turpitude in Singapore or elsewhere as part of the GRA’s assessment of whether the gambling operator, its licensees, responsible executives and/or key officers are suitable persons to be involved in providing a gambling service in Singapore. The CCA provides that the GRA may take disciplinary action against a casino operator where there are “grounds for disciplinary action” or in cases of “serious breach”. The disciplinary action may come in the form of: Cancellation or suspension of a casino license; The issuing of a letter of censure; The variation of terms of a casino license; The imposition of a financial penalty The grounds for disciplinary action may be any of the following: The casino licence was improperly obtained such that at the time the casino licence was granted or renewed, there were grounds for refusal; The casino operator, a person in charge of the casino, an agent of the casino operator or a casino employee has contravened a provision of the CCA or a condition of the casino licence; The casino premises, for specified reasons, are no longer suitable for the conduct of casino operations; The casino operator, for specified reasons, is no longer suitable to hold the casino licence having regard to the considerations detailed out in the header “Applicant Considerations” below; The casino operator failed to comply with a direction from the GRA to terminate an association with a related party; and The casino operator failed to provide information that is required by the CCA to provide or provided information knowing it to be false or misleading or reckless as to whether it is so; A “serious breach” as defined under the CCA means a contravention of the CCA or a condition of the casino licence by the casino operator, a person in charge of the casino, an agent of the casino operator or a casino employee, which in the opinion of the GRA: Severely affects the integrity of casino operations or the integrity of gaming in the casino or severely undermines a measure intended to safeguard individuals or society against harm from casino gambling; Has caused or could cause significant gain of property to a person not legally entitled to it or significant loss of property to a person legally entitled to it; Has occurred as a result of wilful intent or reckless disregard for regulatory compliance; Has arisen from or in connection with a systemic failure or multiple failures in the management or operation of the casino; or Is injurious to the public interest or public order ## Applicant considerations Prior to granting a licence or allowing the renewal of a licence for gambling operations under the GCA, the GRA will consider the following factors: Whether the applicant is or is not carrying on or intending to provide any other gambling service or a holder of another licence or already a class licensee Demand for the gambling service in the application Whether the applicant has the financial resources to provide the gambling service in accordance with the provisions of the GCA and any applicable standards Whether the applicant, its licensees, responsible executives and/or key officers of the applicant is suitable to provide the gambling service in the application Whether the licensee has gambling service agents Whether it is contrary to the public interest or national security of Singapore to grant the licence to the applicant Prior to granting a licence or allowing the renewal of a casino licence under the CCA, the GRA will consider the following factors: Whether each applicant is of good repute, having regard to character, honesty and integrity Whether each applicant is of sound and stable financial background In the case where the applicant is not a natural person, whether the applicant has or has arranged a satisfactory ownership, trust or corporate structure Whether the applicant is able to obtain financial resources that are adequate to ensure the financial viability of the proposed casino and the services of persons who have sufficient experience in the management and operation of a casino Whether the applicant has sufficient business ability to establish and maintain a successful casino Whether any of the applicants has a business association with any person, body or association which in the opinion of the GRA is not of good repute having regard to character, honesty, integrity or has undesirable or unsatisfactory financial resources Whether any director, partner, trustee, executive officer and secretary and any other officer or person determined by the GRA to be associated and connected with the ownership, administration or management of the operations or business of the applicant is suitable to act in that capacity Whether any person proposed to be engaged or appointed to manage or operate the casino is a suitable person to act in that capacity Whether the applicant is suitable to develop, maintain and promote the integrated resort as a compelling tourist destination which meets prevailing market demand and industry standards and contributes to the tourism industry in Singapore ## Localisation The GCA and the CCA do not prescribe any requirements for language or localisation.