Singapore to Open New Esports Training Center

• New esports training hub in Singapore to back player development and global competition pathways.
• The country proposes legal recognition of esports under national sports law.
• Razer to build a global AI gaming center to support Singapore’s digital economy.

Singapore is all set to reveal its new esports training center in the next month, indicating a change in its approach to competitive gaming. 

The new training center will act as a centralized base for local players that will help them provide structured pathways to regional and international competition, stated the Singapore Esports Association.

Additionally, the Singapore Tourism Board, which recently inked a multi-year agreement with BLAST Esports, will also support the facility, says a CNA report.

The esports training center would, as one might anticipate, not only train new players but also host regional competitions and attract international tourists.

Singapore Government’s Initiatives for Esports

Singapore is increasingly focusing on the esports and gaming sector. Minister of State for Trade and Industry, Alvin Tan, noted at Gamescom Asia 2024 that the country's video game and esports markets are expected to increase at the rates of 13.3% and 9.2%, respectively.

Not only that, but the country also proposed on November 4, 2025, to legally recognize esports and mind games like chess, as a sport. If this bill is sanctioned and enacted into law, amending the Singapore Sports Council Act, it could significantly cater to the growing diversity and aspirations of Singaporeans in the sporting scene.

Apart from the new training facility, Razer intends to establish a worldwide AI gaming hub in Singapore to ethically integrate AI into the gaming ecosystem. The company wishes to recruit about 150 AI-specialists, including engineers, data scientists, and game developers. 

Singapore Esports Scene: Match Fixing & the Need for New Laws

Singapore has hosted major international e-sports events, like The International 2022 which had a prize pool of $1 million USD and is the biggest global tournament for multiplayer online game Dota 2. The country also hosted the inaugural Olympic Esports Week in 2023.

Despite such high-profile events, the esports sector in Singapore continues to face integrity violations, performance manipulation, and unequal financial access among players. These issues have prompted regulators and organizers, along with the Singapore government to take steps to closely examine the events, thus improving the sector's code of conduct and disciplinary procedures (including player suspension) in all local leagues.

Earlier this year, a squad was disqualified from the Mobile Legends: Bang Bang Professional League Singapore (2025) due to suspected intentional underperformance. Furthermore, two players were accused of match-fixing under corruption laws, where one of them even received a prison sentence in 2023.

Singapore's growing esports scene is at a critical juncture where new investments, legislative changes, and international collaborations come together to shape its future.

The proposed amendments and the upcoming training hub signify an aim beyond infrastructural expansion. They indicate a definite promise of transforming the country’s competitive gaming sector into a sustainable, professionally regulated space that strikes a balance between ambition and accountability.