Cabinet endorses casino draft bill with limits for Thai gamblers

Thailand's cabinet approved a draft law for casinos and entertainment complexes on Thursday, March 27, 2025, as the government looks to attract more tourists and build a major gaming industry¹. The bill, formally the Entertainment Complex Business Act, was proposed by Deputy Finance Minister Julapun Amornvivat of the Pheu Thai Party⁴. It now goes to the House of Representatives, and if passed will also need approval from the Senate and the King¹.

The draft keeps restrictions aimed at Thai nationals. Thai punters would pay an entry fee of 5,000 baht and show proof of at least 50 million baht in bank deposits, which Reuters valued at $1.47 million¹. Bangkok Biz News reported the deposit must sit in a fixed deposit account for at least six consecutive months⁵. The casino floor may occupy only up to 10 percent of the total space of an entertainment complex, whichever is smaller by land or usable building area¹. Complexes must be run by a juristic person registered in Thailand⁴.

A deputy finance minister said earlier in March that the assets requirement for Thai nationals would be dropped because it would exclude too many people; officials submitted the draft in its current form and planned to deal with amendments later¹. Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra told reporters the details were not final as parliament would have the final say¹.

Government spokesman Jirayu Houngsub said the bill would require public hearings in locations proposed for complexes and compensation for negative impacts, and that operators would be barred from linking casino gambling to computer systems, broadcasting casino play, or trying to increase the number of players and bets¹. Casino operations would fall under the anti-money laundering law¹.

The government hopes to attract at least 100 billion baht in new investment and see foreign arrivals rise 5 to 10 percent a year, generating more than 12 billion baht in annual revenue¹. Jirayu said 80 percent of the 71,300 respondents to an online public hearing held from Feb 28 to March 14 supported the bill¹; Bangkok Biz News put the figure at 71,289 respondents, with 57,000 in favor⁵. A January opinion poll indicated opposition to the plan². About 80 protesters gathered at Government House on Thursday¹.

What it means for players

Gambling is mostly banned in Thailand apart from state-controlled horse racing, the lottery and some sports¹. Nothing changes for players yet: the bill is a draft, and no casino is licensed under it. If it becomes law as drafted, Thai nationals would face the 5,000 baht entry fee and the 50 million baht deposit test, a threshold far above typical incomes in a country where per capita gross domestic product is about $7,300². Foreign visitors are not described in the reporting as facing those two conditions. A Citi report late last year estimated about half of people aged 20 and over in Thailand could be casino players¹.

What happens next

Parliament was expected to take up the bill around April 9, 2025, according to chief government whip Wisut Chainarun, who said it would be given enough time in the House⁶. If it passes the House, it still needs Senate approval and royal assent¹. The deposit requirement could still be amended in parliament¹.

For background on the current rules, see Can I Gamble in Thailand? and Casinos in Thailand: Who Can Go In. Comparable entry charges across the region are set out in Casino Entry Levies and Fees in Asia, and the wider legal picture in Gambling Laws in Asia: What Is Legal in 12 Jurisdictions.