Singapore has formally recognised esports and mind sports like chess as sports following the passing of a Bill in parliament on 14 January 2026.
The amendments to the Singapore Sports Council Act are designed to support diverse sporting aspirations, with Sport Singapore (SportSG) set to tailor its backing based on each activity’s specific needs, governance standards, and contribution to national objectives. This legislative move seeks to future-proof the nation’s sporting landscape amid evolving forms of competition.
According to publication Channel News Asia, the Bill provides an updated, “balanced and future-ready” definition of sports to accommodate newer forms of participation and excellence. Acting Minister for Culture, Community and Youth, David Neo, stated, “The gameplay and disciplines of mind sports and esports will continue to evolve. Therefore, the updated definition of sports in the Bill takes a balanced and future-ready approach to support newer and more varied forms of sporting participation and sporting excellence by Singaporeans.” He confirmed SportSG will now calibrate support based on “specific needs, governance standards and contributions to national sporting objectives.”
This formal recognition contextualises Singapore’s recent strategic investments in the esports ecosystem. The decision follows the government’s earlier proposal in November 2025 to classify these activities as sports and aligns with a series of high-profile events hosted by the city-state.
These include The International 2022 for Dota 2 and the upcoming second Counter-Strike 2 Major of 2026, organised by PGL. Furthermore, Channel News Asia reports SportSG’s enhanced mandate includes consolidating the Singapore Sports School and the High Performance Sports Institute to strengthen athlete development ahead of Singapore hosting the SEA Games and ASEAN Para Games in 2029.
This recognition paves the way for more structured institutional support, following recent industry developments such as the opening of a centralised esports training hub and BLAST’s multi-year deal to host tournaments in Singapore.
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