New Requirements To Regulate Supply Of Liquor Online Or Through Telecommunication Services

The Ministry of Home Affairs and the Singapore Police Force have reviewed the regulatory requirements for the supply of liquor online or through telecommunication services.

With effect from 2 January 2024, the supply of liquor to persons under 18 years old online or through telecommunication services will be an offence under the Liquor Control (Supply and Consumption) (Liquor Licensing) Regulations 2015.

Persons or businesses, including electronic commerce platforms , who supply liquor online or through a telecommunication service, need a licence to do so, and will be required to warn individuals under 18 years old that it is an offence for them to buy liquor and inform them of the penalty for doing so.

This move ensures parity with liquor licensees who operate brick-and-mortar stores, and will help to curb underage drinking.

New requirements for licensees and employees supplying liquor online or through telecommunication services

Reguation 11 of the Liquor Control (Supply and Consumption) (Liquor Licensing) Regulations 2015 has been amended to regulate the supply of liquor to persons younger than 18 years old online or through telecommunication services, by stipulating the following new requirements:

1. A licensee, and an employee of the licensee, must not supply any liquor to an individual who is younger than 18 years online (whether through electronic commerce platforms or otherwise) or through a telecommunication service;
   
   
2. A licensee, and an employee of the licensee, who supplies liquor to an individual online (other than through a third-party electronic commerce platform) or through a telecommunication service, must:
   
   i. warn the individual that it is an offence for the individual to buy liquor if the individual is younger than 18 years, and
   ii. inform the individual of the penalty for the offence;
   
   
3. A licensee, and an employee of the licensee, must not supply liquor to an individual through a third-party electronic commerce platform if they know, or ought reasonably to know, that the person operating the platform does not do any of the following:
   
   i. take all reasonable steps to ascertain that the individual is 18 years or older;
   ii. warn the individual that it is an offence for the individual to buy liquor if the individual is younger than 18 years, and
   iii. inform the individual of the penalty for the offence.
   

A breach of Regulation 11 of the Liquor Control (Supply and Consumption) (Liquor Licensing) Regulations 2015 carries a fine of up to $10,000.

Removal of requirement to keep or store liquor at licensed premises

As part of the review, Regulation 9 of the Liquor Control (Supply and Consumption) (Liquor Licensing) Regulations 2015, which pertains to the storage of liquor at licensed premises, will be removed with effect from 2 January 2024. It will no longer be a requirement for licensees to keep or store the liquor at their licensed premises; they may store the liquor outside their licensed premises. However, the sale of liquor from such premises used for storage is prohibited.

The Police have issued an advisory informing liquor licensees and electronic commerce platforms about the new requirements under the Liquor Control (Supply and Consumption) (Liquor Licensing) Regulations 2015.