Royal Gazette publishes amendment raising entertainment complex entry age to 20

Thailand's Royal Gazette published the Royal Decree Amending the Emergency Decree on Entertainment Complex (No. 2) B.E. 2567 on 24 September 2024, rewriting Section 5/2 of the 2022 emergency decree so that persons under 20 may not enter an entertainment complex¹.

The amendment replaces the wording of Section 5/2 in full. The new text states that a person under 20 is prohibited from entering an entertainment complex, and that operators must not allow such a person to enter¹.

The decree also amends other sections of the 2022 law, including the licensing and operating rules for entertainment complexes and the penalties attached to them¹. The gazette text sets out the revised wording of those sections but does not state a separate commencement date for the age change beyond the publication itself¹.

The gazette does not report how the change will be enforced, what penalties apply to an operator that admits an under-20, or whether existing venues must change their entry procedures. Those points have not been reported¹.

What it means for players

The change applies to entertainment complexes as defined in the 2022 emergency decree, which covers venues combining gaming with other entertainment under a single license¹. Anyone under 20 is barred from entry, so the practical effect for a visitor or expat aged 18 or 19 is that the previous minimum no longer applies at these venues¹.

The gazette does not say how age will be checked at the door, whether identification will be required, or what happens to a person who is refused entry. It also does not say whether the rule applies to the whole complex or only to designated gaming areas. Those details have not been reported¹.

For a fuller picture of entry rules at casinos and integrated resorts across the region, see Casinos and Integrated Resorts in Asia: Who Can Enter, What You Can Play and the Rules Inside. For the wider legal position in the country, see Can I Gamble in Thailand?.

What happens next

The gazette does not set out a transition period, an enforcement date separate from publication, or any guidance for operators on updating entry checks. No further steps have been reported¹.