Community Organisations conducting Gambling for Social Bonding and Recreation ("CGS")
The Gambling Control Act 2022 (GCA) came into operation on 1 August 2022. The Common Gaming Houses Act 1961, the Betting Act 1960, the Private Lotteries Act 2011 and the Remote Gambling Act 2014 were repealed on the same day.
Under Part 4 of the GCA, community organisations that wish to conduct gambling on its premises will be required to apply for and be issued with a licence by the Gambling Regulatory Authority of Singapore (GRA). A “community organisation” means any of the following entities that is formed in Singapore and that has its central management and control ordinarily exercised at a place within Singapore:
(a) an incorporated body other than a corporation that returns profits to its members;
(b) a club, a co‑operative society, a mutual benefit organisation, a trade union or an unincorporated association.1
Community organisations should not be providing any gambling service to its members on or after 1 August 2023 unless:
(a) It had applied for a CGS licence on or prior to 31 July 2023 and the licence application is pending GRA’s assessment; or
(b) It has obtained a CGS licence, gambling venue and game rules approvals from GRA.
Community organisations that have applied for a CGS licence on or after 1 August 2023 should not provide any gambling service to its members until it has obtained a CGS licence, gambling venue and game rules approvals from GRA.
GRA issues CGS licences to community organisations under Section 54(1) of the GCA, after assessing that applicants have fulfilled the suitability criteria under Section 54(2) of the GCA. The list of CGS Licensees and their approved gambling venues and games can be downloaded below.
List of approved CGS Licensees
Please refer to the FAQs below regarding the licence application process.
Please note that if an activity does not constitute gambling, then the conduct of the activity will not require a licence or be subject to regulation under the GCA.
1 See Regulation 2 of the Gambling Control (General) Regulations 2022. Also, an “unincorporated association” means any society or other incorporated organisation that has (a) at least 10 members; (b) a management committee appointed or elected by the members of the society or organisation; and (c) a written constitution.