Singapore Audit Exposes Weaknesses in Gambling Controls

Singapore’s Auditor-General’s Office (AGO) has identified shortcomings in the country’s gambling safeguards after banned people were able to access casinos and place wagers.

These findings were published in the AGO’s latest audit report, which examined the Gambling Regulatory Authority of Singapore’s (GRA) management processes. “We found lapses in the management operations at the Gambling Regulatory Authority of Singapore (GRA),” the report said.

The AGO also noted that “oversight could be improved to ensure excluded persons (EPs) are prohibited from gambling.”

Audit uncovers repeated casino entries despite active exclusion orders

Between April 2023 and March 2025, 120 excluded individuals entered Marina Bay Sands and Resorts World Sentosa while subject to exclusion orders.

“Our data analysis found that EPs had entered local casinos while under exclusion orders, and individuals were allowed entry despite exceeding their monthly casino visit limits,” the AGO said.

Casino operators reported about 1,100 entries involving 107 of those individuals to the GRA. However, another 13 excluded people entered casinos 108 times without those visits being reported.

The audit also discovered that 26 individuals exceeded their monthly casino visit limits and were allowed another 102 times beyond the threshold.

Online gambling safeguards failed to block excluded account holders

The AGO found that 79 Singapore Pools accounts belonging to excluded persons stayed active instead of closing. Among those accounts, 21 customers placed 1,358 online bets worth about SGD75,800 while subject to exclusion orders.

“We also found that Singapore Pools accounts held by EPs were not closed to prevent them from remote gambling, with some account holders placing bets while under exclusion orders,” the report said.

The report warned that “these lapses could undermine the safeguards to protect vulnerable individuals from gambling harm.”

Authorities investigate breaches as regulator improves oversight

According to The Straits Times, the GRA and the Ministry of Social and Family Development attributed the reporting failures to data migration issues and other system problems that affected automatic screening. The agencies said the issues had been resolved by February 2026.

The AGO also confirmed that the GRA has begun investigating possible regulatory offences involving individuals who entered casinos while under exclusion orders. These findings were part of a wider public sector audit covering government agencies, statutory boards and state-owned entities. 

In addition, the report concluded that tougher regulatory oversight will ensure Singapore’s exclusion system can protect vulnerable people from gambling-related harm.

Singapore has discovered faults in its gambling safeguards from a recent audit after excluded players were still able to access casinos. Over 120 people were implicated through this report with 1,300 entries across different platforms. Steps are being taken to curb this leakage and improve player protection.