Thailand has become the latest country in Southeast Asia to consider legalizing casinos. Government officials announced a draft law that was presented to Parliament last week, and Prime Minister Sritha Thavisin has supported the efforts.
The country is already popular with tourists and some gaming insiders believe adding a casino could make it even more attractive. Thavesen and his administration see legalizing casinos as a way to boost the economy of a country with a population of about 72 million people. Horse racing and lotteries are currently the only legal forms of gambling, but underground casinos and sports betting are an ongoing problem, according to reports.
“We have to acknowledge that there is illegal gambling in the country. We are trying to get rid of it but it cannot be erased, so we have to rethink and see that the time has come for that,” said Deputy Finance Minister Gulabon Amornvivat.
Maintaining gambling in the country
Gambling has proven popular in many parts of Asia, and several countries have moved to meet this demand over the past two decades, including South Korea, Singapore, Cambodia, the Philippines and others.
Supporters of the bill point to the loss of tax revenue as Thai gamblers regularly cross the border to bet in neighboring countries or take advantage of underground options.
“We can regulate the gray economy and collect taxes,” Thavesen noted on Twitter about the issue. “We do not want to encourage gambling, but rather supervise it and use the investment to create job opportunities.”
The Thai Parliament has already approved a proposal to begin studying the issue, which includes the possibility of adding larger entertainment complexes and resort-style complexes that also include music and sports venues. The number of casinos allowed was not included, but the plan calls for gaming venues to be within 100 kilometers (62 miles) of airports.
The plan would also use private companies as is the case in Japan and other countries, rather than a government-run approach as is the case with the country’s horse racing industry. However, the plan has met with some resistance among Conservative MPs.
As Thailand seeks to establish its first legal poker room, one of its own citizens, Punnat Punsri, has taken the lead in Card player Player of the Year race. Bonsri, from Bangkok, has earned more than $15 million on the high-stakes circuit, and is far and away the top of his country’s all-time money list.
