Thailand's new government will move ahead with plans to introduce casinos after a public hearing showed strong support for a large entertainment complex offering gambling, Deputy Finance Minister Julapun Amornvivat said on Thursday, September 5, 20241. The conclusion of a public hearing conducted online over a bill to establish a "mega entertainment complex" housing a casino showed 80% of participants agreed with the plan1. The bill was drafted by the Ministry of Finance and would legalize entertainment complexes of which casinos form a part1.
"We will now adjust the bill based on the feedback, discuss this with our coalition partners before sending it cabinet for approval"
The revised bill would be submitted to the cabinet for coalition parties to decide whether to support it. If they express support, it will proceed to the Council of State for scrutiny before being proposed to the House of Representatives1. Julapun is a key member of the coalition-core Pheu Thai Party1. Paetongtarn Shinawatra was sworn in as prime minister in August 2024, succeeding Srettha Thavisin, who was removed from office by a court decision that month and had been the main proponent of the latest casino push3.
Most forms of gambling are currently illegal in Thailand under the Gambling Act of 1935, though underground betting is rampant; state-controlled horse races and an official lottery are permitted4. A Finance Ministry study in August 2024 projected the proposed complex would attract primarily Thai gamblers, accounting for up to 90% of customers1. According to a Finance Ministry source, companies seeking a concession must be limited or public limited companies with registered capital of at least 10 billion baht, and must obtain a license from the Entertainment Complex Policy Committee1.
| Item | Figure |
|---|---|
| Licence term | 30 years, renewable up to 10 years at a time1 |
| Licence fee | 5 billion baht per license1 |
| Annual fee | 1 billion baht1 |
| Casino entrance fee for Thais | Not exceeding 5,000 baht per person1 |
| Registered capital required | At least 10 billion baht1 |
The government has said the complex would raise foreign tourist numbers by 5% to 20% and lift tourist spending from 40,000 baht to 60,000 baht4. In Southeast Asia, Cambodia, Singapore, Myanmar and the Philippines have legalized casinos, some on the other side of Thailand's borders, catering overwhelmingly to Thai and Chinese customers, many on weekend junkets1. Pheu Thai has argued Thailand has fallen behind its neighbors in the gaming industry3. Thaksin Shinawatra, father of the prime minister, backed the casino plan in a dinner speech in August 2024, noting potential benefits from regulating and taxing online gambling and formalizing the larger underground economy3.
What it means for players
Nothing changes immediately. Casinos and most forms of gambling remain illegal in Thailand, and the bill has not yet gone to cabinet, the Council of State or parliament1. The 5,000 baht entrance fee and the 50 million baht bank deposit requirement reported for Thai nationals are proposals attached to a draft, not rules in force4. Until a law passes, the existing position applies: state-controlled horse races and the official lottery are permitted, and other gambling is not1. How the proposed rules would treat foreign residents and visitors has not been reported.
What happens next
The bill is to be adjusted using feedback from the hearing, then discussed with coalition partners before going to cabinet1. If coalition parties support it, it goes to the Council of State for scrutiny and then to the House of Representatives1. No date has been given for those steps.
Sources4 sources
- Bangkok Post - Thailand to move ahead with casinos plan, official says, bangkokpost.com
- Thailand to forge ahead with casino plan | Reuters, reuters.com
- Thailand gives green light to build first casinos despite gambling being illegal | The Independent, the-independent.com
- ร่างพระราชบัญญัติการประกอบธุรกิจสถานบันเทิงครบวงจร - วิกิพีเดีย, th.wikipedia.org
