Singapore to regulate blind boxes, trading cards without ‘effective ban’: Shanmugam
Sellers of blind boxes or trading card packs are not expected to be required to open sealed boxes and sell the contents as individual items, says Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam.
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SINGAPORE: Singapore does not intend to require sellers to open blind boxes or trading card packs before selling them, Minister for Home Affairs K Shanmugam said on Thursday (May 7), as regulations on such items are being developed to address gambling-related risks.
In a written response to parliamentary questions from MP Kenneth Tiong (WP-Aljunied), Mr Shanmugam said regulations will aim to "mitigate the gambling inducement risk of blind boxes", rather than impose measures that would effectively ban them.
Mr Tiong wanted to know if retailers, under the proposed regulations, would be required to open sealed trading card packs and sell cards as individual items.
“We do not intend to require the sellers of blind boxes, of trading cards or otherwise, to open the sealed boxes and sell the contents as individual items. This would effectively ban blind boxes,” Mr Shanmugam said.
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Blind boxes are sealed packages where the items inside, typically collectable toys, figurines or trading cards, are unknown before purchasing and opening.
According to a forecast by market researchers, the global market for blind box toys will grow at an annual rate of 6.5 per cent from 2025 to 2033, with the Asia Pacific region seeing the fastest expansion.
But with more brands jumping on the blind box bandwagon, community groups have voiced concerns about the normalisation of such products and their addictive nature.
The Ministry for Home Affairs (MHA) previously said it will share more details on blind box regulations around mid-2026.
Mr Shanmugam said on Thursday that the government is currently engaging industry stakeholders on blind box regulations, which will also cover trading card games.
“Any proposed safeguard will need to be proportionate to the gambling inducement risk of the product,” he added.
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