Last updated on January 19th, 2025 at 12:10 am
The draft Integrated Entertainment Business Act, a draft casino and gambling law in Thailand that would allow casinos within integrated resorts, was approved by the cabinet last Monday. Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra also confirmed the approval of the law.
According to pay per head reviews and news sites, the next step is for the Thai cabinet to send the bill to parliament for additional consideration. It needs approval from the Senate and the House of Representatives to become law, which might happen by the middle of 2025.
At present, gambling is practically outlawed in Thailand, with just a handful of verticals enjoying legal status there. Few legitimate choices exist for Thai gamers, including state-controlled horse racing and the official lottery. However, the problem of illegal gambling is pervasive and has persisted for a long time in Thailand. In light of this problem, the government has passed a new law in the hopes that it will make gambling more secure.
Draft Casino and Gambling Law in Thailand
One of the most critical aspects of the law is its requirement, similar to Singapore’s model, that casinos be integrated into full-service resorts. Hotels, arenas, theaters, restaurants, nightclubs, and shopping corridors are all examples of non-gaming attractions considered part of a resort. A 5% cap was placed on the percentage of any integrated resort that may be devoted to gambling.
Licenses would be granted for 30 years. Operators would be evaluated every five years, and each renewal term may be up to ten years long. The minimum paid-up capital required for a license in Thailand is THB10 billion, equivalent to £237 million, €286 million, or $288 million. Applicants must be residents of Thailand. Each license will cost an initial THB4.9 billion and an additional THB1.0 billion yearly for all approved applicants. However, there’s no part in the bill that provides a way to become a bookie in Thailand.
At the outset, the government is anticipated to issue licenses to five casinos: two in Bangkok, one in Pattaya, one in Chiang Mai, and one in Phuket. In terms of taxes, the measure, in its current form, suggests a 17% tax on total gaming income. The Office of the Full-Service Entertainment Regulatory Commission would oversee the legal gaming sector.
Improve Tourism via Legal Gambling
Huge casino complexes have been a boon to Thailand’s neighbors, including Singapore, Laos, Cambodia, the Philippines, and Myanmar. With the approval of the proposed law, Thailand may finally join the club.
If gambling and casinos are legalized, as the government anticipates, there will likely be a 5–10% increase in the number of international tourists visiting Thailand. According to Deputy Finance Minister Julapun Amornvivat, tourism revenue might rise by THB220 billion. Even more encouraging, legalizing gaming has the potential to generate an additional 9,000 to 15,000 jobs.
The Paetongtarn administration is not the first to have considered legalizing gambling, but none of them has done so, mainly because conservatives in Thailand oppose it. Also, they didn’t discuss ways to become a bookie in Thailand.
Additionally, there is evidence that the general population in Thailand has very mixed feelings toward legalization. Reuters quoted a 2021 survey in their article last year, which found that 47% of people were against legalizing gambling due to moral and criminal issues, while 21% were in favor and 18% were just somewhat in favor of the notion.