Bill officially withdrawn from parliament

Thailand's draft Entertainment Complex Bill was officially withdrawn from parliament on 9 July 2025, according to an account of the bill's progress¹. The legislation, proposed by Deputy Finance Minister Julapun Amornvivat of the Pheu Thai Party, would have legalized casinos and gambling operations in Thailand in the form of entertainment complexes¹. Its status is listed as suspended¹.

The bill had moved through several stages before being pulled.

• In September 2024, the government of Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra announced it would proceed with a plan to open legal casinos in Thailand after a public consultation found support for entertainment complexes that include casinos¹.
• In October 2024, Julapun said the Finance Ministry would send the draft to the cabinet for consideration late that year¹.
• On 13 January 2025, the cabinet approved the draft, which was then sent to the Council of State, chaired by former deputy prime minister Wissanu Krea-ngam, for review before a further round of public consultation¹.
• Julapun later said the ministry had submitted the draft to the cabinet secretariat to await cabinet consideration, and the cabinet meeting resolved to approve it¹.
• A first reading had originally been scheduled for 9 April 2025¹.

The bill set conditions for Thai nationals. It required an entry fee of 5,000 baht and evidence of at least 50 million baht in bank deposits, and limited casino space to 10 percent of the total area of an entertainment complex¹. Entertainment complexes would have had to be operated by a juristic person registered in Thailand¹. The government said the complexes would increase foreign tourist numbers by 5 to 20 percent and raise tourist spending from 40,000 baht to 60,000 baht¹.

The bill drew opposition. Bhumjaithai Party secretary-general Chaichanok Chidchob criticized it heavily¹. Jatuporn Prompan, former chairman of the red-shirt United Front for Democracy Against Dictatorship, called for protests against it¹. It faced resistance in particular from Thai Muslims in the south, and the Prachachat Party, a current coalition partner, stated its opposition¹. On 9 April 2025, several hundred people protested against the bill in front of Sappaya-Sapasathan, including protesters from the Network of Students and People for Reform of Thailand and anti-casino allies¹. The bill was withdrawn from the House on 7 July 2025 after the Thailand-Cambodia phone conversation leak scandal, which led to an order suspending the prime minister from duty¹.

Under the Gambling Act of 1935, most gambling is illegal in Thailand¹.

What it means for players

Casino gambling remains illegal in Thailand for locals, expats and visitors, as it was before the bill was drafted¹. The withdrawal means the proposed legal channel, casinos inside entertainment complexes, is not available. The conditions the bill would have imposed on Thai nationals, including the 5,000 baht entry fee and the 50 million baht deposit requirement, do not apply because the bill did not pass¹. The government's stated aims for the bill, reducing illegal gambling, generating revenue and attracting investment, have not been achieved through this legislation¹. For the current legal position in the country, see Can I Gamble in Thailand? and Gambling Laws in Asia: What Is Legal in 12 Jurisdictions.

What happens next

The bill's status is listed as suspended¹. No date has been reported for any further reading, resubmission or replacement legislation.