Bill to legalise casinos in Thailand could be debated in Parliament before year-end

The Council of State is expected to complete its review on March 6.

Thailand.- The Finance Ministry expects legislation to allow casino resorts to be debated in Parliament before the end of this year. The draft bill was approved on January 13 and sent to the Council of State for review, after which it will be sent to the House of Representatives for consideration.

The Council of State is due to complete its review of the draft bill on March 6. It is believed to be discussing what proportion of each complex can be occupied by a casino. Deputy finance minister Jualporn Amonvivat has requested a limit of 10 per cent.

The legislation proposes 30-year casino licences with the option for a 10-year renewal. Complexes would be located in designated areas and operated by companies registered in Thailand with a minimum paid-up capital of THB10bn (US$283m). A policy panel led by the prime minister and a regulatory agency would oversee the industry. 

Analysts at Citigroup have forecast that casinos in Thailand could generate US$1.91bn annually in gross gaming revenue (GGR). That would surpass the GGR of Singapore’s two casinos and place Thailand “only behind Macau and Las Vegas.”

Authorities propose strict casino entry rules for Thais

A report released yesterday (February 17) suggests that Thai nationals wishing to gamble in casinos would need to have at least THB50m (US$1.5m) in fixed deposits for at least six months. According to Reuters, the measure would prevent many citizens from entering the venues as per capita gross domestic product is about US$7,300, according to government data. Casino entry fees for Thai nationals have been set at THB5,000 (US$144).

Former prime minister Abhisit Vejjajiva has previously criticised the plan to legalise casinos and online gambling arguing the plan was “dangerous” and that online gambling, in particular, would cause a negative social impact by increasing household debts and crime rates.

The Stop Gambling Foundation, along with a group of legal experts, anti-gambling advocates and representatives from various institutions and professional groups, aims to collect 50,000 signatures to demand a referendum on the plan. A survey conducted by the National Institute of Development Administration (Nida) found the majority of Thais to be opposed to the government’s plans.

The Council of State is expected to complete its review on March 6. Thailand.- The Finance Ministry expects legislation to allow casino resorts to be debated in Parliament before the…