Thailand cabinet approves draft law to legalise casinos and gambling

Thailand's cabinet approves draft law to legalise casinos and gambling to boost tourism.

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Thailand’s cabinet has approved a draft law to legalize casinos and gambling in the country, a move aimed at boosting tourism, generating jobs, and increasing investment, Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra announced on Monday.

The law, which is now set to be sent to parliament for further deliberation, would allow gambling to take place in large-scale entertainment complexes.

Currently, casinos and most forms of gambling are illegal in Thailand, although underground gaming activities, soccer betting, and lotteries remain prevalent.

Under the proposed law, the government believes that legalizing gambling would offer more protection for the public while also increasing state revenue.

Tourism, a vital sector for the Thai economy, is expected to benefit significantly from the move, with foreign visitor numbers potentially growing by 5% to 10% and tourism revenue projected to rise by 120 $3.45 billion to $6.32 billion.

Additionally, the legalization of casinos could create between 9,000 to 15,000 new jobs in the sector.

Many neighboring countries in Southeast Asia, including Cambodia, Singapore, the Philippines, Laos, and Myanmar, have large-scale casino complexes, which have contributed to their tourism and economic growth.

Thailand has long been missing out on this potential revenue, the government argued, as the absence of legal casinos has resulted in a loss of tourism opportunities.

Successive Thai governments have attempted to legalize and regulate gambling, but these efforts have faced resistance from conservative factions in the predominantly Buddhist country.

A strong advocate of the legalization of gambling has been former premier Thaksin Shinawatra, who is the father of Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra and an influential figure within the ruling party.