Gambling Regulatory Authority of Singapore Act 2022

PART 2

FUNCTIONS AND POWERS OF AUTHORITY

Gambling Regulatory Authority of Singapore

3. Despite section 48(2), the Casino Regulatory Authority of Singapore continues to exist under this section and is renamed as the Gambling Regulatory Authority of Singapore.

Authority is body corporate

4.—(1) The Authority —

(a)	is a body corporate with perpetual succession;
(b)	may acquire, hold and dispose of real and personal property; and
(c)	may sue and be sued in its corporate name.

(2) The Authority may use, and operate under, one or more trading names approved by the Minister.

(3) A trading name can be an abbreviation or adaptation of the Authority’s corporate name, or a name other than the Authority’s corporate name.

(4) The Authority must cause notice of every trading name approved under subsection (2) to be published in the Gazette; but failure to do so does not invalidate the approval or use of that name.

Functions of Authority

5.—(1) The Authority has the following functions:

(a)

to scrutinise, regulate and control gambling in or affecting Singapore to ensure that it is conducted honestly and free from criminal influence and exploitation;

(b)

to inquire into, and make recommendations to or otherwise advise the Minister on, matters relating to gambling, either on its own motion or upon the request of the Minister;

(c)

to research and inquire into matters relating to the control of gambling, including the probity and financial security and viability of persons involved in the management of gambling operations;

(d)

to work collaboratively with —

(i)

the National Council on Problem Gambling to reduce the prevalence of problem gambling and the severity of harm from gambling; and

(ii)

the Singapore Police Force and public authorities or other persons (whether in or outside Singapore) responsible for investigating and prosecuting crimes, or for the regulation and control of the conduct of gambling, including sharing information with them for crime prevention and in circumstances where the Authority reasonably suspects an offence under any written law or other law may have been committed;

(e)

to foster responsible gambling and minimise the harm from gambling;

(f)

to set and maintain appropriate standards and levels of accountability for the conduct of gambling;

(g)

to perform such other functions as may be conferred on the Authority by any other Act.

(2) In performing the functions conferred on the Authority by subsection (1), the Authority must have regard to —

(a)	the need to minimise harm caused by gambling, particularly the adverse social effects of lawful gambling;
(b)	the promotion of probity and integrity of persons involved in the conduct of gambling;
(c)	the conduct, extent and character of gambling and the provision, use and location of gambling and like wagering facilities, available to people in Singapore;
(d)	the need to ensure that the public in Singapore obtains reasonable net benefits from the conduct of gambling; and
(e)	the maintenance of public confidence and trust that gambling in Singapore is conducted honestly and free from criminal influence and exploitation.

(3) In addition to the functions conferred by this section, the Authority may undertake such other functions as the Minister may assign to the Authority, by notification in the Gazette, and in so undertaking —

(a)	the Authority is deemed to be fulfilling the purposes of this Act; and
(b)	the provisions of this Act apply to the Authority in respect of those other functions.

(4) Nothing in this section imposes on the Authority, directly or indirectly, any form of duty or liability enforceable by proceedings before any court to which the Authority would not otherwise be subject.

Powers of Authority

6.—(1) The Authority has power to do all things necessary or expedient to be done for, or in connection with, the performance of its functions.

(2) Without limiting subsection (1), the powers of the Authority include the following:

(a)	to enter into contracts, agreements or arrangements;
(b)	to acquire, develop, hold and dispose of real or personal property;
(c)	to appoint and act through agents;
(d)	to employ staff and engage consultants;
(e)	to publish or provide any information, or publish or sponsor the publication of works;
(f)	with the approval of the Minister, to form or join in the formation of a company, an association, a trust or a partnership or enter into a joint venture with any person;
(g)	to be a member of a company, an association, a trust or a partnership;
(h)	to charge for the provision of goods or services, or the performance of work, by or on behalf of the Authority;
(i)	to waive the payment of fees and charges payable to the Authority;
(j)	to accept gifts, grants, bequests and devises made to the Authority, and act as trustee of money and other property vested in the Authority on trust;
(k)	to do any other thing that is incidental or conducive to the performance of its functions.

(3) To avoid doubt, subsection (1) does not limit any other power given to the Authority by any other provision in this Act or by any other Act.

(4) The Authority may exercise its powers inside or outside Singapore.

Directions of Minister, etc.

7.—(1) The Minister may give to the Authority any direction under section 5 of the Public Sector (Governance) Act 2018.

(2) To avoid doubt, the Minister is entitled —

(a)	to have information in the possession of the Authority; and
(b)	where the information is in or on a document, to have, and make and retain copies of, that document.

(3) For the purposes of subsection (2), the Minister may request the Authority —

(a)	to provide information to the Minister; or
(b)	to give the Minister access to information.

(4) The Authority must comply with a request under subsection (3).

(5) In this section —

“document” includes any tape, disk or other device or medium on which information is recorded or stored;

“information” means information specified, or of a description specified, by the Minister that relates to the functions of the Authority.

Authority’s symbol, etc.

8.—(1) The Authority has the exclusive right to the use of one or more symbols or representations as the Authority may select or devise (each called the Authority’s symbol or representation), and to display or exhibit those symbols or representations in connection with the Authority’s activities or affairs.

(2) A person who —

(a)	uses, without the prior written permission of the Authority, a symbol or representation identical with the Authority’s symbol or representation; or
(b)	uses a symbol or representation which so resembles the Authority’s symbol or representation as to deceive or cause confusion, or to be likely to deceive or to cause confusion,

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 6 months or to both and, in the case of a continuing offence, to a further fine not exceeding $250 for every day or part of a day during which the offence continues after conviction.

Search within Legislation