Besides restricting the hours youths can visit an arcade to reduce the "risk of truancy" during school hours, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) will implement more restrictions to curb the risk of "gambling inducement" in games.

Starting from Mar. 1, 2024, the value of prizes for amusement centre games must be less than S$100.

Operators of amusement centres will be banned from offering cash, cash equivalents, credit, or merchant vouchers as prizes.

Winners will also not be allowed to sell back prizes to the operators.

Increasingly more games in arcades features elements of chance

Member of Parliament (MP) Yip Hon Weng filed questions in Parliament on whether MHA will consider implementing age verification checks in arcades to ensure compliance with the entry restrictions of those under 16 years old and whether it will collaborate with the Ministry of Education to educate students on the underlying rationale of such restrictions.

Yip also asked whether data on the number of students who frequent arcades and their average expenditure is available and whether MHA will consider disclosing data on the probability of winning top-tier prizes in chance-based arcade games mandatory.

In a written response to the questions on Oct. 4, 2023, Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam said that MHA does not track the number of students at amusement centres or the amount they spend there.

However, MHA has observed more games in amusement centres have elements of chance and offer high-value prizes.

This may increase the risk of gambling inducement, particularly with vulnerable persons such as youths, Shanmugam said.

No need to display odds of winning

On the other hand, the ministry does not intend to require operators to display the odds of winning the games.

Shanmugam explained that doing so may impose an "undue" regulatory burden on the operators, which may not be proportionate to the gambling risks of such games.

He pointed out that many games, such as "coin pushers", also do not have clearly defined odds.

Amusement centres must put up signs on entry restrictions

Shanmugam said that amusement centre operators must conduct verification checks to ensure that youths below 16 are not admitted into their premises on a school day except between 6:30pm and 11:59pm, to reduce the risk of truancy during school hours.

Operators must display such restrictions on signs at prominent locations within their premises to notify customers.

These requirements are also imposed as licensing conditions under their Public Entertainment Licence.

Operators who fail to comply may be subject to regulatory action under the Public Entertainments Act, Shanmugam added.

In addition, as suggested by Yip, Shanmugam said MHA will work with MOE to remind students about the entry restrictions.

Top photo via Cow Play Cow Moo/Facebook