Thailand expects to pass bill on casinos in current govt’s term

A bill that would legalise casinos in Thailand could be passed in the current government’s term, an official said yesterday, as the prime minister backed a move he said would create jobs and revenue and regulate a thriving illicit gaming sector.

Casinos are illegal in Thailand and the only gambling allowed is at state-controlled horse races and on the lottery. But illicit gambling, soccer betting, underground casinos and lotteries are rife.

Many in the gaming industry believed a legal casino market in Thailand would be a huge success in drawing more visitors to a country already a magnet for foreign tourists, providing strong competition for the world’s biggest gambling hub Macau, the only place in China where citizens can legally gamble in casinos.

“We have to admit that there is illegal gambling in the country, we are trying to get rid of (it) but it cannot be wiped out, so we have to rethink and see that it is time for this,” Deputy Finance Minister Julapun Amornvivat said, adding that Singapore would be a model to emulate.

The issue has gained traction in recent days as Parliament approved a plan to study the possibility of creating entertainment complexes that would house casinos, as well as other features like concert halls and venues for local sports like Muay Thai boxing, cockfights and horse racing, at which bets could be placed.

The plan did not specify how many such complexes would be created but it recommended they be located within 100km of airports. Thailand is targeting a record 40 million foreign visitors this year.

Under the proposal, private companies would shoulder the cost of construction and operation, while the government would be responsible for taxing and regulation, Sorawong Thienthong, vice-chairman of the parliamentary committee, said.

Legalisation of gambling has been discussed in the past but no government has gone ahead due to public opposition and resistance from conservatives in the predominantly Buddhist country.

In a 2021 opinion poll, 47 per cent of respondents opposed legalising gambling over concerns about crime and morality, while 21 per cent were supportive and 18 per cent were partially in agreement with the idea.