Casino Control (Conduct of Gaming) Regulations 2009

No. S 594

Casino Control Act

(Chapter 33A)

Casino Control (Conduct of Gaming) Regulations 2009

In exercise of the powers conferred by section 200(2)(n) of the Casino Control Act, the Casino Regulatory Authority of Singapore, with the approval of the Minister for Home Affairs, hereby makes the following Regulations:

PART I

PRELIMINARY

Citation and commencement

1.  These Regulations may be cited as the Casino Control (Conduct of Gaming) Regulations 2009 and shall come into operation on 4th December 2009.

Definitions

2.  In these Regulations, unless the context otherwise requires —

“approved game” means a game approved by the Authority for play in a casino under section 100(1) of the Act;

“approved game rules”, in relation to an approved game, means the rules which have been approved by the Authority under section 100(1) of the Act for the game;

“cage” means an area within any casino premises at which cash and chips are deposited, and financial transactions and the paperwork necessary to support the playing of games in the casino are carried out;

“cash” means currency notes and coins of Singapore which are legal tender in Singapore or foreign currency;

[Deleted by S 51/2013 wef 31/01/2013]

“foreign currency” means currency notes and coins of a country or territory other than Singapore which are legal tender and circulate as money in the country of issue;

“state of intoxication” means a state wherein a person’s speech, balance, co-ordination or behaviour is noticeably affected and there are reasonable grounds for believing this state to be induced by alcohol, narcotics or any intoxicating substance.

PART II

ISSUANCE, REDEMPTION AND USE OF CHIPS AND CHIP PURCHASE VOUCHERS

When chips and chip purchase vouchers may be issued or redeemed

3.  Chips and chip purchase vouchers may only be issued and redeemed during the hours of operation of a casino.

Payment for chips

4.  A casino operator must not issue, or cause or permit to be issued, any chips for gaming (other than complimentary chips) to any patron unless the chips are paid for to the value of the chips by one or more of the following methods of payment:

(a) in cash;

(b) subject to regulation 6, in chips issued by another casino operator;

(c) in exchange for chip purchase vouchers issued by the casino operator;

(d) by charging to the patron’s credit card, where a transaction involving a credit card is permitted under the Act or any regulations made thereunder;

(e) by direct debit from the amount standing to the credit of the patron’s deposit account or cheque cashing account with the casino operator;

(f) by an amount debited against the patron’s credit account with the casino operator, where the casino operator is permitted to issue chips on credit to the patron under the Act; or

(g) by such other mode of payment as the Authority may approve.

Payment for chip purchase vouchers

5.  A casino operator must not issue, or cause or permit to be issued, any chip purchase voucher to any patron unless the chip purchase voucher is paid for to the value of the chip purchase voucher by one or more of the following methods of payment:

(a) by direct debit from the amount standing to the credit of the patron’s deposit account or cheque cashing account with the casino operator;

(b) by an exchange of chip purchase vouchers issued by the casino operator; or

(c) by such other mode of payment as the Authority may approve.

Limit on chips issued in exchange for chips of another casino operator

6.—(1)  A casino operator must not issue, or cause or permit to be issued to any patron, chips paid for in chips of another casino operator equal to or exceeding an aggregate value of $10,000 in a single gaming day.

(2)  In this regulation, “gaming day” has the same meaning as in regulation 3(6) of the Casino Control (Prevention of Money Laundering, Terrorism Financing and Proliferation Financing) Regulations 2009 (G.N. No. S 507/2009).

[S 862/2024 wef 14/11/2024]

Transaction at cage

7.  A casino operator who issues chips paid for in chips of another casino operator must do so only at a cage.

[S 285/2019 wef 04/04/2019]

Redemption of chips or chip purchase vouchers

8.  A casino operator may redeem its chips or chip purchase vouchers from a patron, in exchange for the equivalent of any one of the following to the value of the chips or the amount shown on the chip purchase voucher, as the case may be:

(a) cash;

(b) a cheque issued by the casino operator payable to the patron or any other person named by the patron;

(c) an amount transmitted by telegraphic or electronic funds transfer from the casino operator’s account to an account of the patron’s choice; or

(d) an amount credited, in accordance with the patron’s instructions, into the patron’s or any other patron’s deposit account, cheque cashing account or credit account, with the casino operator.

Chips to be used only for playing of games or tips in casino premises

9.—(1)  Chips issued by a casino operator may be used by a patron only for ––

(a) the playing of games within the casino premises of the casino operator; or

(b) the giving of tips or gratuities to any person employed within the casino premises for any service provided by such person in the ordinary course of his duties.

(2)  Any person who uses chips for any purpose other than the purposes allowed under paragraph (1) shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $10,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 months or to both.

PART III

CONDUCT OF TABLE GAMES

Dealing and shuffling of playing cards

10.—(1)  Subject to paragraph (2), the playing cards used by a casino operator for the playing of games in its casino must —

(a) prior to each use, have been shuffled using an electronic shuffler and not manually shuffled; and

(b) be dealt from a card shoe or other device or equipment approved by the Authority.

(2)  The Authority may, on the application of a casino operator or an applicant for a casino licence, waive any or all of the requirements in paragraph (1) for any segment of casino patrons, designated gaming area or approved game, subject to such conditions as the Authority may impose.

Placing of wagers

11.—(1)  Subject to paragraph (2), a wager on an approved game must be made by placing chips and, if applicable, one or more match play coupons on the appropriate wagering areas of a gaming table.

(2)  A casino operator must not accept any wager on an approved game ––

(a) placed on behalf of a patron who is not present in person at the gaming table by another person, or placed by a patron who is not so present using any communication device or equipment;

(b) placed otherwise than by means of chips issued by the casino operator; or

(c) made without placing any chips on the gaming table, unless otherwise provided in the approved game rules.

(3)  [Deleted by S 51/2013 wef 31/01/2013]

Refusal of wagers

12.—(1)  Without prejudice to regulation 18(1)(d), a licensed special employee of a casino operator conducting an approved game must refuse a wager from a patron if ––

(a) the licensed special employee knows that a patron is incapable of making a decision in relation to a wager by reason of his state of intoxication, or has reasonable doubts as to the patron’s ability to do so; or

(b) the wager is placed otherwise than in accordance with the approved game rules of the game.

(2)  Without prejudice to paragraph (1), a licensed special employee of a casino operator conducting an approved game may refuse a wager from a patron if the licensed special employee knows or reasonably suspects that the patron is committing or has committed an offence under the Act or any other written law in relation to the playing of that game.

(3)  A refusal of a wager under paragraph (1)(a) or (2) must be done prior to the closing of bets as determined by the approved game rules of the approved game.

(4)  Upon any refusal of a wager under paragraph (1) or (2), the licensed special employee must remove the wager from the gaming table and return it to the patron.

Winnings to be paid in chips

13.  Winnings on an approved game must be paid to a patron only in chips, unless otherwise provided in the approved game rules of the game.

PART IV

GENERAL

Payment of winnings in full

14.  A casino operator must pay every patron who wins a wager on any game played at a gaming table or on a gaming machine within its casino premises his winnings in full without deduction of any commission or fee, unless otherwise provided in the rules of the game.

Refund of wagers and recovery of winnings when game declared void

15.—(1)  A casino operator must declare a game void if there is any malfunction or fault in, or interruption in the operation of, any part of any gaming machine or gaming equipment that affects the outcome of that game.

(2)  Without prejudice to paragraph (1), a casino operator may declare a game void if ––

(a) there is a force majeure event that disrupts that game;

(b) the casino operator knows or reasonably suspects that a patron is committing or has committed an offence under the Act or any other written law in such a manner as may affect the outcome of that game; or

(c) the approved game rules of the game provide for other circumstances under which the game may be declared void and the declaration is done under those circumstances.

(3)  If a game being played at a gaming table or on a gaming machine is declared void under paragraph (1) or (2), the casino operator must ––

(a) clearly notify every patron playing that game that the game has been declared void; and

(b) refund all wagers made on that game.

(4)  Where a game is declared void under paragraph (1) or (2) (except on the ground of a force majeure event under paragraph (2)(a)), the casino operator may, in addition, recover the winnings of any or all patrons from that game, if ––

(a) there is clear information provided to the players of the game or displayed prominently in the casino concerning the circumstances under which, and the means by which, winnings will be recovered when the game is declared void; and

(b) the recovery of winnings is done in accordance with the information in sub-paragraph (a).

(5)  In paragraph (2)(a), “force majeure event” includes ––

(a) fire or flood;

(b) an act of God;

(c) an act of war;

(d) strikes, lock-outs or stoppages or restraints of labour;

(e) riots or civil commotions; or

(f) any other event beyond the control of the casino operator that makes the continuation of the game impossible.

Patrons to be notified of closure of gaming table or gaming machine

16.—(1)  Subject to paragraph (3), a casino operator must ensure that reasonable notice is given to patrons before the closure of any gaming table or gaming machine.

(2)  Without limiting the generality of paragraph (1), reasonable notice may be given by ––

(a) displaying a notice of the impending closure of a gaming machine on the screen of the gaming machine for a reasonable period of time before the closure of the gaming machine; or

(b) notifying patrons (orally or otherwise) at a gaming table prior to the commencement of the last round of play before the closure of the gaming table.

(3)  A casino operator may close a gaming table or gaming machine without notice where it has reasonable cause to believe that such closure is necessary ––

(a) in the interests of public or private safety;

(b) to ensure that gaming is conducted honestly; or

(c) to maintain, repair or otherwise deal immediately with any gaming table, gaming equipment or gaming machine to ensure game security and integrity.

(4)  In this regulation, “closure”, in relation to a gaming table or a gaming machine, does not include a momentary stoppage of play from which the play can be resumed at the stage it was stopped.

Gaming by intoxicated persons prohibited

17.  A casino operator must not permit a person who is in a state of intoxication to participate in any gaming activity within its casino premises.

Duties of licensed special employees in relation to conduct of gaming on casino premises

18.—(1)  A licensed special employee must not ––

(a) advise a patron how to play a game, except to explain the rules of the game or to ensure the patron’s compliance with the relevant approved game rules;

(b) by himself or in conjunction with any other person, corruptly solicit or receive, or agree to receive, any tip, gratuity, consideration or other benefit for himself or for any other person as an inducement to or a reward for improperly influencing the outcome of a game;

(c) accept chips for any purpose other than those set out in regulation 9(1); or

(d) permit a patron to participate in any gaming activity if the patron is in a state of intoxication.

(2)  Every licensed special employee authorised to issue, exchange or redeem chips or chip purchase vouchers must do so only in accordance with regulations 3 to 8.

(3)  Every licensed special employee authorised to conduct games must ––

(a) deal and shuffle playing cards only in accordance with regulation 10;

(b) accept, refuse or refund wagers only in accordance with regulations 11, 12 and 15(3);

(c) pay or recover winnings only in accordance with regulations 13, 14 and 15(4);

(d) declare a game void if any of the circumstances mentioned in regulation 15(1) occurs; and

[S 285/2019 wef 04/04/2019]

(e) give notice of the closure of a gaming table or gaming machine in accordance with regulation 16(1) or (2) where necessary.

(3A)  Every licensed special employee authorised to conduct games must not declare a game void if none of the circumstances mentioned in regulation 15(1) or (2) occurs.

[S 285/2019 wef 04/04/2019]

(4)  It shall be a condition of a special employee licence that the licensed special employee comply with —

(a) paragraph (1) in every case; and

(b) where applicable to the licensed special employee, paragraphs (2), (3) and (3A).

[S 285/2019 wef 04/04/2019]

(5)  A licensed special employee who contravenes a condition of a special employee licence applicable to him under this regulation shall be liable to disciplinary action under section 93 of the Act.

Duties of casino operator

19.  Any casino operator which —

(a) issues, exchanges or redeems chips or chip purchase vouchers other than in accordance with regulations 3 to 8;

(b) allows the use of chips other than in accordance with regulation 9;

(c) uses or allows the use of playing cards other than in accordance with regulation 10;

(d) accepts, refuses or refunds wagers other than in accordance with regulations 11, 12 and 15(3);

(e) pays or recovers winnings other than in accordance with regulations 13, 14 and 15(4);

(f) declares a game void other than under any of the circumstances mentioned in regulation 15(1) or (2); or

[S 285/2019 wef 04/04/2019]

(g) contravenes regulation 15(1), 16 or 17,

[S 285/2019 wef 04/04/2019]

shall be liable to disciplinary action under section 54 of the Act.

Made this 1st day of December 2009.

RICHARD MAGNUS

Chairman,
Casino Regulatory Authority of Singapore.

[CRA 25/4/3C V1; AG/LEG/SL/33A/2006/15 Vol. 1]