(Sept 11): Singapore will allow its two casinos to conduct cashless gaming under changes made to the Casino Control Act, but will not permit the use of cryptocurrencies, CNA reported, citing Minister of State for Home Affairs and for Social and Family Development Sun Xueling.

Examples of cashless bets include placing wagers at gaming tables or machines by drawing down virtual credits directly from cashless gaming accounts or e-wallets, Sun was quoted as saying in Parliament on Tuesday. The Gambling Regulatory Authority (GRA) has no intention of allowing cryptocurrency to be used as chips for casino gambling as it presents money-laundering risk, Sun said.

The tweak is the latest change to casino rules in the city state, which earlier lowered the threshold for checks on cash deposits received by casinos to prevent exploitation by terrorist and criminal organisations.

Singapore has also transferred the power to approve the main shareholders of casino operators to Minister for Home Affairs K Shanmugam, from the GRA, Sun said. Shanmugam will continue to align the integrated resorts — Marina Bay Sands and Resorts World Sentosa — with the government’s objectives, she added.

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