Thailand’s House of Representatives has approved a report on a proposal to establish casinos for both tourists and the local public and could have a final decision on the matter within “two or three years”.
As reported by the Bangkok Post, lawmakers spent just two and half hours debating the proposal which was based on a report by a special committee set up in December of 2021.
As a result of the report, the House voted in favor of evaluating the economic potential for tourist attraction by the establishment of casinos. However, the benefits must be weighed against any possible issues that may arise due to the ease of access to gambling.
The committee noted that despite the positive findings of its report, the committee was not suggesting the legalization of gambling but instead pushing for a more in-depth analysis of the potential of a legal casino industry. The committee also noted that there would need to be public hearings and a referendum ahead of any final legalization process.
The report identifies eight forms of gambling, such as physical casinos, online casinos, stock exchange index betting, sports betting, and betting on foreign exchange rates.
A bill that would regulate all these activities would need to be created, and it would necessitate a revision of the 1935 Gambling Act.
According to the report, Casinos would be open to both locals and tourists with the age limit of 21 applying to both groups. Locals would also need to supply evidence of having at least THB฿500,000 (€13,951) in their bank accounts over a six-month period.
The proposals suggest casinos in Bangkok, 22 main tourism areas, and the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC). However, the report notes that Bangkok and the EEC are the most economically viable areas for casinos.
Ciaran has been working within the Gambling Industry as a deep analyst since 2019. His deep knowledge and understanding of all the gambling regulations, and processes makes him a true asset, and an always valuable point of view for Gambling Industry News, allowing us to cover every topics from a brand new perspective.