Inside Asian Gaming

IAG AUG 2021年8月 亞博匯 18 SINGAPORE TO PERMIT SOCIAL FAMILY GAMBLING UNDER PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO GAMBLING LAW 新加坡擬修訂博彩法，有 意明文允許家中社交賭博 SINGAPORE’S MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS (MHA) has proposed a series of amendments to gambling laws that would allow social gambling within the family home but place caps on video game mystery boxes and other prize- based rewards. According to a statement, the MHA will amend gambling legislation this year with the goal of ensuring Singapore’s laws and regulations remain effective in the face of evolving gambling products and business model. Among the key changes proposed, subject to public feedback, is an exemption on public gambling laws for social games among family and friends which would see such activity become “explicitly permitted under legislation.” The MHA said it seeks to take a practical approach towards gambling legislation: one that only prohibits where there is a risk to law-and-order or the potential to cause social harm. While the exemption would not apply to online social gambling, the MHA said, “We recognise that gambling amongst family and friends in homes is socially acceptable amongst many Singaporeans and poses low law and order concerns. Hence, we are proposing to exempt physical social gambling among family and friends, subject to conditions that safeguard against criminal exploitation. “Social gambling among family and friends will thus be explicitly permitted under legislation. We will take strong enforcement action against syndicates which exploit this exemption to conduct illegal gambling activities.” 新加坡內政部 日前公佈稱擬修訂管制賭博活動的多項法律，其中 包括有意允許家人和朋友之間的社交賭博，以及對含賭博元素的 遊戲活動如神秘盒子等街機遊戲採取適當管制。 據該一份聲明，新加坡內政部稱當局將在今年稍後審查和修 訂與賭博有關的法律，以確保新加坡的法律能更有效地應對新興 賭博產品和商業模式。 其中，根據公眾反饋，擬議的關鍵修訂包括允許家人和朋友之 間的社交賭博，令此類活動成為「法律明確允許」。 內政部表示，其力求對賭博法規採取務實的方法，僅在存在法 律和秩序風險或可能造成社會危害的情況下才禁止。 雖然豁免不適用於社交賭博，但內政部表示：「我們認識到，許 多新加坡人認為在家中與家人和朋友之間賭博是可以接受的，並 且帶來的法律和秩序問題不大。因此，我們建議豁免家人和朋友之 間的社交賭博，但須符合防止犯罪條件。」 「立法將明確允許家人和朋友之間的社交賭博。我們將對利 用這一豁免進行非法賭博活動的集團採取強而有力的執法行動。」