Singapore moves to formally recognise e-sports, chess and bridge as sports
Mind sports like chess and bridge, along with e-sports, could be formally recognised as sports under a new Bill. The Singapore Sports Council (Amendment) Bill also expands SportSG’s role to promote fitness, inclusivity, and support national athletes.
- Mind sports such as chess and bridge, along with e-sports, would be formally recognised as sports if the Singapore Sports Council (Amendment) Bill, introduced on 4 Nov, is passed.
- Both mind sports and e-sports have grown in popularity, with Singapore hosting major international events including The International 2022, Olympic Esports Week, and the World Chess Championship.
- The Bill also expands SportSG’s role to promote physical fitness, support disability sports, set coaching and equipment standards, and oversee institutions that develop national athletes.
SINGAPORE: Mind sports such as chess and bridge, along with e-sports, could be officially recognised as sports if a Bill introduced in Parliament on 4 November 2025 is passed into law.
The Singapore Sports Council (Amendment) Bill was tabled for its first reading by Acting Minister for Culture, Community and Youth David Neo.
It seeks to update the roles and functions of Sport Singapore (SportSG) to better support Singaporeans’ diverse sporting aspirations.
The Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth (MCCY) said the move reflects the “growing diversity and aspirations of Singaporeans in our sporting landscape.”
The Bill proposes amendments to the existing Singapore Sports Council Act.
Rising Popularity of Mind Sports and E-Sports
Both mind sports and e-sports have seen growing interest in Singapore in recent years.
At Gamescom Asia 2024, Minister of State for Trade and Industry Alvin Tan noted that the video games and e-sports markets are projected to grow at compound annual growth rates of 13.3 per cent and 9.2 per cent respectively.
Singapore has hosted major international e-sports events, including The International 2022, the world’s largest tournament for the multiplayer online game Dota 2, making it the first Southeast Asian country to do so.
In 2023, Singapore also held the inaugural Olympic Esports Week.
Mind sports such as chess have seen a similar surge.
At the youth level, 1,606 players competed in the 75th National Schools Individual Chess Championship in 2024, a nearly 20 per cent increase from 2022.
Last year, Singapore hosted the World Chess Championship for the first time.
Other Amendments
Beyond recognising mind sports and e-sports, the Bill proposes naming the Singapore National Paralympic Council alongside the Singapore National Olympic Council as one of SportSG’s key partners in organising sports events and competitions.
MCCY said this underscores the government’s “strong and sustained support for disability sports and inclusivity.”
The proposed changes also expand SportSG’s role to include promoting physical fitness activities, not just sports, to encourage Singaporeans to adopt more active lifestyles.
SportSG would additionally establish and maintain codes of practice for coaching, as well as for sports and physical fitness equipment, items, and facilities, including accreditation to improve the adoption of best practices across the sector.
If passed, the Bill would also enable SportSG to better establish institutions for developing and training national athletes, overseeing both the sports activities and curricula of these institutions.
MCCY said this reflects the government’s “holistic approach to supporting Team Singapore athletes through various stages of their education and sporting careers.”
