In forceUpdated to 21 Sep 2026

Contents

Gambling Control Act 2022 · Updated to 21 Sep 2026 · Part 2 · Offences

38. Unlawful interference with approved gaming machines, etc.

(1)

A person who —

(a)

has possession of a device made or adapted, or intended by the person to be used, for interfering with the normal operation of any relevant gambling equipment;

(b)

does anything calculated, or likely to interfere with the normal operation of any relevant gambling equipment;

(c)

does anything that is calculated to render any relevant gambling equipment (even if temporarily) incapable of producing, or of producing, a winning combination; or

(d)

does any act or thing calculated to interfere with any relevant gambling equipment under which the result obtained on the relevant gambling equipment is different to the result provided by the approved game,shall be guilty of an offence.

(2)

Subsection (1) does not apply to anything done in good faith in connection with —

(a)

the installation, alteration, adjustment, maintenance or repair of any relevant gambling equipment by a recognised technician; (b)the carrying out of any installation, alteration, adjustment, maintenance or repair to effect a change of game directed by the Authority under section 78; or (c)the exercise by a police officer or an authorised officer of a function conferred or imposed by or under this Act.

(3)

A person who —

(a)

dishonestly, or because of gross negligence; and (b)during the design, manufacture, assembly, installation, alteration, adjustment, maintenance or repair of any relevant gambling equipment,makes provision (including by fraudulent computer programming) to subsequently gain any money or money equivalent or any financial benefit for that person or another person or any advantage in the operation of the relevant gambling equipment, shall be guilty of an offence.

(4)

A person who, with intent to dishonestly obtain any money or money equivalent or a financial benefit for the person or another person, inserts, or causes to be inserted, in an approved gaming machine in an approved gambling venue, or any peripheral equipment for such an approved gaming machine, any thing other than —

(a)

a coin or token of the denomination or type displayed on the approved gaming machine as that to be used to operate or gain credit on the gaming machine;

(b)

a note of a denomination in order to operate or gain credit on the approved gaming machine; or

(c)

a card of a type authorised by the licensee for use in order to operate or gain credit on the approved gaming machine,shall be guilty of an offence.

(5)

A person who is guilty of an offence under subsection (1), (3) or (4) shall be liable on conviction —

(a)

in the case of an individual, to a fine not exceeding $150,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 7 years or to both; or

(b)

in the case of an entity, to a fine not exceeding $300,000.

(6)

An offence under this section is an arrestable offence.

(7)

In this section, “relevant gambling equipment” means any of the following:

(a)

an approved gaming machine installed or used outside of a casino; (b)any peripheral equipment for an approved gaming machine installed or used outside of a casino;

(c)

any software, or any other machine, apparatus, appliance, equipment, instrument, communication device or other device, accessory or any other thing (whether or not of a similar kind), that is used, apparently used, likely to be used or capable of being used in providing a gambling service authorised under a licence or class licence.IllustrationsPoint‑of‑sale kiosks.Draw appliances and ball sets used in lottery draws.Software and programming code used to generate winning numbers.

Terms defined in s 3

approved gambling venue
Defined · s 3
“approved gambling venue”, for a licensee, means any place or premises approved under section 64 as an approved gambling venue for the licensee to use in connection with providing a gambling service authorised by the licence thereof;
Open s 3
authorised officer
Defined · s 3
“authorised officer”, in relation to any provision of this Act, means an individual who is appointed under section 122 to perform any function or exercise any power under that provision;
Open s 3
Authority
Defined · s 3
“Authority” means the Gambling Regulatory Authority of Singapore, which is the Casino Regulatory Authority of Singapore continued and renamed under section 3 of the Gambling Regulatory Authority of Singapore Act 2022;
Open s 3
casino
Defined · s 3
“casino” means any premises in Singapore that is covered by a casino licence granted under section 49 of the Casino Control Act 2006;
Open s 3
class licence
Defined · s 3
“class licence” means a class licence determined under an order made under section 60(1) and as from time to time varied under section 61;
Open s 3
communication device
Defined · s 3
“communication device” means a machine, device or thing designed or capable of being used for —(a)sending or receiving oral messages or messages in writing, voice calls or video calls;(b)sending or receiving electronic documents;(c)sending or receiving still or moving images;(d)sending or receiving audio or video files; or(e)providing access to the Internet,using any technology (including remote communication technology), and includes a mobile phone and any wireless handheld device (such as a tablet computer) or wearable device (such as a smart watch);
Open s 3
credit
Defined · s 3
“credit” includes any form of financial accommodation;
Open s 3
entity
Defined · s 3
“entity” means —(a)a body corporate (including a limited liability partnership); (b)an unincorporated association;(c)a partnership;(d)a body of individuals who together form a body; or(e)a person other than an individual;
Open s 3
financial benefit
Defined · s 3
“financial benefit” means any thing of economic value, and includes property and services;
Open s 3
gambling
Defined · s 3
“gambling” has the meaning given by section 4;
Open s 3
gambling service
Defined · s 3
“gambling service” means any of the following services, including such a service provided through a gambling service agent:(a)a service comprising wholly or in part of —(i)the placing, making, receiving, accepting or negotiating of bets;(ii)operating a betting exchange or betting information centre; (iii)operating a totalisator;(iv)organising pool betting;(v)matching gamblers; (vi)laying or offering odds; or(vii)offering an opportunity to or otherwise facilitating others to bet in accordance with arrangements made by the service provider;(b)a service for the conduct of a lottery; (c)a service for the supply of lottery tickets; (d)a service —(i)for others to play a game of chance; or (ii)offering an opportunity to or otherwise facilitating others to play a game of chance, for a prize in accordance with arrangements made by the service provider;(e)a service of controlling or operating a computer server —(i)in Singapore that enables any game of chance to be played by others in Singapore or elsewhere by remote communication for a prize; or(ii)in Singapore or elsewhere that enables any game of chance to be played by others in Singapore by remote communication for a prize;(f)a service of making available to others any gaming machine for the purpose of gambling;
Open s 3
licence
Defined · s 3
“licence” means a licence that is granted under section 54 and is in force;
Open s 3
licensee
Defined · s 3
“licensee” means a person to whom a licence is granted under this Act but does not include a class licensee;
Open s 3
lottery
Defined · s 3
“lottery” has the meaning given by section 9;
Open s 3
money equivalent
Defined · s 3
“money equivalent” has the meaning given by section 14;
Open s 3
recognised technician
Defined · s 3
“recognised technician” means a technician recognised by the Authority;
Open s 3

Read on from s 39

Part 3

Presumptions and Evidence

Read on from Part 3

Part 4

Licensing

Read on from Part 4

Part 5

Gambling Venue and Games Approval

Read on from Part 5

Part 6

Harm Minimisation and Integrity Protection Measures

Read on from Part 6

Part 7

Regulatory Sanctions

Read on from Part 7

Part 8

Reconsideration and Appeals

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Part 9

Enforcement

Read on from Part 9

Part 10

Administration

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Part 11

Miscellaneous

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Part 12

Amendments to Casino Control Act 2006

Read on from Part 12

Part 13

Repeals, Amendments to Other Acts and Final Provisions

Read on from Part 13

Schedules

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