Singapore mulls including blind boxes under gambling laws

Irene Dong

16th Feb 2026

Singapore regulators are assessing whether blind boxes should fall under its gambling laws, in a move that could reshape compliance requirements for retailers operating in the fast-growing collectibles segment.

According to The Straits Times, Minister for Home Affairs and Law K Shanmugam said the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Gambling Regulatory Authority have reviewed the sale of blind boxes and are studying possible regulatory options.

This follows Singapore’s 2022 introduction of regulations on mystery boxes. Authorities are considering measures such as requiring probability disclosures and introducing safeguards to reduce inducement risks. Most of the focus seems to be on limited-edition figurines, with the government considering mandatory warning labels on blind box ranges, expressing the odds the consumer has of finding the rarest items inside.

Meanwhile, the global blind box market, valued at US$11.38 billion in 2021, is expected to nearly double, reaching US$24.2 billion by 2033.

The report said it remains uncertain whether blind boxes could be formally brought within the scope of existing gambling legislation or require legislative amendments.

Blind boxes, sealed packages containing randomised toys or figurines, have become a strong traffic and repeat-purchase driver for specialty retailers, toy stores and mall kiosks. The model typically hinges on tiered rarity, with ‘secret’ or limited-edition variants encouraging multiple purchases.

For retailers, the review signals potential changes to product labelling, in-store marketing and age-related controls. 

Greater transparency requirements could alter packaging standards and promotional strategies, particularly for operators targeting youth-driven fan communities.