Police reviewing massage establishment licensing; tighter rules expected soon

A tougher clampdown on massage parlours and salons involved in vice is expected soon with tighter regulations to be announced in the coming months.

- David Sun Crime Correspondent

In a joint reply to The Straits Times, the Singapore Police Force and Housing Board said the police are currently reviewing the Massage Establishments Act, and will announce changes soon.

Under the Act, operators of massage establishments must obtain a licence from the police.

It exempts open-concept massage establishments, and beauty salons and hair salons that do not provide massage services.

These were previously deemed to be a lower risk because they did not typically offer full-body massages.

It is not known how many exempted establishments there are as the authorities do not currently track them.

To avoid attention, vice operators have been known to register their businesses as beauty salons instead and, in recent times, hair salons as well.

In 2024, ST reported that it found hair salons offering more than just a haircut in Geylang Road.