Blind Boxes To Be Regulated in Singapore?
Singapore is "known" worldwide for a few things:
"Graffiti will be punished by caning" (historically and partially true)...
"Eating chewing gum is banned" (not true)...
"Blind Box Toys are banned" ... not trueyet, but it might be "regulated"?
This certainly was a attention-grabbing headline:
"Singapore will introduce regulations for the sale of blind boxes to address gambling-related risks, Minister for Home Affairs K Shanmugam said on Thursday (Feb 12)" - reported channelnewsasia.com, "Responding to a parliamentary question from MP Dennis Tan (Workers’ Party–Hougang) on whether the government would mandate disclosure of odds for blind box or "gacha" products, Mr Shanmugam said his ministry and the Gambling Regulatory Authority had studied the issue and decided to introduce conditions on how blind boxes may be offered."
straitstimes.com also mentioned that "In China, businesses are banned from selling blind boxes to children under eight due to concerns over potential addiction. There are currently no laws in Singapore explicitly targeting blind boxes."
But ultimately it might not be wholly be specifically directed towards "blind box toys"? But perhaps top combat the current "trend", it needed to be addressed...?
"Mystery boxes, however, are disallowed, with plans to regulate them via class licences issued by the GRA. This is after the police told operators of mystery prize vending machines to stop operating them in 2018, warning them that it was a form of public lottery.". (straitstimes.com)
Saw this video (below) and wondered how would this take in public eyes? "Children gambling?", Or being enabled by their parental for "inducing gambling" and the effect on the children's psyche? LOL
Conversely, do we blame the influence on kids who demand to "only eat French Fries" versus the fast food establishment who sell said fried fries"? LOL
"Blind box" are not meant for children, but for folks who could afford to "try their luck" on these things, innit? And it is not the first time you might have heard naysayers exclaim: "Blind box is gambling!",. Have you?
And while "pull ratios" are indicated on most blind boxed toys on the market, this might not be the case for gacha capsules, claw-machine or straight-up "mystery boxes" - which offer assorted contents such as "iPhones" and non-toy items/equipment like power-banks etc.
Besides the "usual suspects" - including Pop Mart and a myriad other toy-makers sprouting up the recent years, even fast food and select supermarkets in Singapore are also offering them.
It might well be a cyclical "phase" that will never truly "go away" but for subsiding in fervour, or robustically burning through public demand, innit?
I am well aware of the blind box craze even close to 2 decades ago while I was in Jakarta, when Kidrobot Dunnys were at it's peak, and even years before then were Medicom Toys' B@RBRICKS, but for the current Labubu's infamy that had penetrated into the public consciousness a lot more than people give it credit. Every press reports give you monetary credits as "a global business", where I just see it in multiple shops in a mall and corner shop.
Ultimately it's not a "problem" until it goes to scale, somehow. In a way it is not hard to navigate Singapore; its not a problem until someone complaints about it, then steps needed to be taken to address the situation and actions taken to resolve said situation.
Essentially this concept of "lottery" had been available in various forms through the years - as it had been for sealed trading card blind packs, as it is no doubt the current trend in Pokémon TCGs and it's ilk.
Folks addressing the concept of "blind boxes" which eventually might well lead to the "after market value" of "chase items"?
Another aspect of "mystery box" effect might well be also KPOP CD albums, with random photo cards being one of the allures of the package. And even then, the current influx of blind boxed figurines/collectibles from your fav KPOP groups are waiting in the wings too! LOL
So what do YOU think? "Regulate"? Or "leave it alone"? Or "HOW" do you think it should be regulated?
But until anything is "regulated", it'll be "blind box business as usual"! MUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
"Graffiti will be punished by caning" (historically and partially true)...
"Eating chewing gum is banned" (not true)...
"Blind Box Toys are banned" ... not true
This certainly was a attention-grabbing headline:
"Singapore will introduce regulations for the sale of blind boxes to address gambling-related risks, Minister for Home Affairs K Shanmugam said on Thursday (Feb 12)" - reported channelnewsasia.com, "Responding to a parliamentary question from MP Dennis Tan (Workers’ Party–Hougang) on whether the government would mandate disclosure of odds for blind box or "gacha" products, Mr Shanmugam said his ministry and the Gambling Regulatory Authority had studied the issue and decided to introduce conditions on how blind boxes may be offered."
Look, no one is outright saying "blind box" will be "banned" in Singapore ok?... but expect it to be "regulated" ... :phttps://t.co/12oDkcOdUf
— toysrevil (@toysrevil) February 15, 2026
Until then, it's blind box business as usual on #TOYSREVIL! LOL#mytoylife pic.twitter.com/RwjcYDRabs
straitstimes.com also mentioned that "In China, businesses are banned from selling blind boxes to children under eight due to concerns over potential addiction. There are currently no laws in Singapore explicitly targeting blind boxes."
But ultimately it might not be wholly be specifically directed towards "blind box toys"? But perhaps top combat the current "trend", it needed to be addressed...?
"Mystery boxes, however, are disallowed, with plans to regulate them via class licences issued by the GRA. This is after the police told operators of mystery prize vending machines to stop operating them in 2018, warning them that it was a form of public lottery.". (straitstimes.com)
Saw this video (below) and wondered how would this take in public eyes? "Children gambling?", Or being enabled by their parental for "inducing gambling" and the effect on the children's psyche? LOL
Conversely, do we blame the influence on kids who demand to "only eat French Fries" versus the fast food establishment who sell said fried fries"? LOL
"Blind box" are not meant for children, but for folks who could afford to "try their luck" on these things, innit? And it is not the first time you might have heard naysayers exclaim: "Blind box is gambling!",. Have you?
And while "pull ratios" are indicated on most blind boxed toys on the market, this might not be the case for gacha capsules, claw-machine or straight-up "mystery boxes" - which offer assorted contents such as "iPhones" and non-toy items/equipment like power-banks etc.
Besides the "usual suspects" - including Pop Mart and a myriad other toy-makers sprouting up the recent years, even fast food and select supermarkets in Singapore are also offering them.
It might well be a cyclical "phase" that will never truly "go away" but for subsiding in fervour, or robustically burning through public demand, innit?
I am well aware of the blind box craze even close to 2 decades ago while I was in Jakarta, when Kidrobot Dunnys were at it's peak, and even years before then were Medicom Toys' B@RBRICKS, but for the current Labubu's infamy that had penetrated into the public consciousness a lot more than people give it credit. Every press reports give you monetary credits as "a global business", where I just see it in multiple shops in a mall and corner shop.
Ultimately it's not a "problem" until it goes to scale, somehow. In a way it is not hard to navigate Singapore; its not a problem until someone complaints about it, then steps needed to be taken to address the situation and actions taken to resolve said situation.
Essentially this concept of "lottery" had been available in various forms through the years - as it had been for sealed trading card blind packs, as it is no doubt the current trend in Pokémon TCGs and it's ilk.
Folks addressing the concept of "blind boxes" which eventually might well lead to the "after market value" of "chase items"?
Another aspect of "mystery box" effect might well be also KPOP CD albums, with random photo cards being one of the allures of the package. And even then, the current influx of blind boxed figurines/collectibles from your fav KPOP groups are waiting in the wings too! LOL
So what do YOU think? "Regulate"? Or "leave it alone"? Or "HOW" do you think it should be regulated?
But until anything is "regulated", it'll be "blind box business as usual"! MUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
