Casinos coming to Thailand? This time it just might happen

[Rocket]

Would love to see a casino here. Just hope they have reasonable odds. I’m losing frequently to Cambodian guys playing pool.
I live here in Pattaya half the year. Ideally the other half would be living in Las Vegas.

[Gaybutton]

I am in full favor of casinos coming to Thailand, but regarding Pattaya a casino actually in the city? I don't like that idea. I think actually within the city would be a mistake and would cause problems. Somewhere on the outskirts of the city makes much more sense to me. Shuttle buses could be provided to get tourists to and from the casino.
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Pattaya Mayor Fully Backs Plan to Build Entertainment Complex, Which Contains a Casino, in the City

By Aim Tanakorn

24 January, 2025

Pattaya Mayor Mr. Poramase Ngampichet came out to back the Thai government’s plan to build an entertainment complex, which includes a casino, saying it could greatly boost tourism and the local economy.

The mayor said that this plan fits with Pattaya’s current development goals and the promises made by his team “We Love Pattaya,” which pushed for this idea in the last local election.

Mr. Poramase said his team aims to achieve four main goals and 15 policies, one of which is creating an entertainment complex in Pattaya. If the government moves forward with the plan, Pattaya will offer itself as the perfect location to help grow local and national tourism and the economy.

The mayor explained that the entertainment complex isn’t just about casinos, as it will also include theaters, water parks, amusement parks, shopping malls, and other attractions. This would allow Pattaya to attract more visitors and offer more activities for tourists, including families. This would help the local economy grow.

However, the mayor also mentioned that the plans for the complex need clear regulations. He emphasized that gambling should strictly not be allowed for young people. The mayor concluded that Pattaya will wait for the government’s final decision but is fully supportive of creating an entertainment complex.

https://thepattayanews.com/2025/01/24/p ... -the-city/

[Gaybutton]

With a 5000 baht fee proposed for Thais entering casinos, I'm not surprised.
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Poll: Most Thais oppose casino complex, legalising online betting

January 26, 2025

A huge majority of people are opposed to the government’s proposed casino-entertainment complex and its plan to legalise online gambling, according to an opinion survey by the National Institute of Development Administration.

Asked for their thoughts on the development of integrated entertainment complexes complete with a casino, 59.19% of respondents said they opposed both the complex and casino, 28.93% supported both, 8.63% supported the complex but without a casino, 1.68% had no comment and 1.60% supported a casino only.

Asked if they agreed with the government’s push to legalise online gambling, 58.32% said they strongly disagreed, 19.92% strongly agreed, 11.45% somewhat agreed and 10.31% somewhat disagreed.

As for public referendums for the construction of casino-entertainment complexes and online gambling legalisation, the respondents’ answers varied as follows:

51.07% said they disagreed with holding referendums for both the casino-entertainment complex and online gambling legalisation

37.86% agreed with holding referendums for both schemes

5.11% agreed with organising a referendum for the casino-entertainment complex project only

3.89% agreed with organising a referendum for online betting legalisation only

1.99% had no comment

0.08% did not answer

The Nida Poll was conducted by telephone interviews on Jan 20-21 with 1,310 people aged over 18 of various levels of education, incomes and occupations throughout the country.

https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/ge ... ne-betting

[Gaybutton]

If and when they become legal, do you want to open a casino? You better be rich - VERY rich.
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Thailand on course to legalise casinos by year-end

by THE NATION

February 17, 2025

Govt’s legal advisors set to complete review of Entertainment Complex bill on March 6 amid public opposition to legalised gambling

The Finance Ministry expects the bill to legalise casinos to be debated in Parliament before the end of this year, with the Council of State due to complete its review on March 6.

The draft Entertainment Complex Bill gained Cabinet approval on January 13, paving the way for casino resorts aimed at boosting tourism, jobs and investment.

The 50-day review by the Council of State, the government’s legal adviser, is focusing on what proportion of each entertainment complex can be occupied by a casino. Deputy Finance Minister Jualporn Amonvivat has requested a limit of 10% for a casino.

The review is being closely scrutinised, with a NIDA opinion poll showing that a majority of the Thai public are still opposed to casino legalisation.

The push for casinos is being led by former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra – father of current PM Paetongtarn Shinawatra – who has talked of creating a Las Vegas-style gambling hub.

A royal decree specifying sites for entertainment complex construction is also in the pipeline.

An ad hoc committee will be set up to study the suitability, location and financing of casino resorts, along with pros and cons for the public and government.

The Entertainment Complex Policy Committee, chaired by the prime minister, will oversee management, licencing, area designation and safety of the entertainment complexes.

Meanwhile, an executive board chaired a PM’s appointee will be set up to implement strategy, budgeting, fee collection and complaints consideration.

Also planned is an office to inspect venues, suspend any illegal gambling operations, and confiscate assets.

Entertainment complex operators must have minimum registered capital of 10 billion baht. Issuance of a licence valid for 30 years will cost 5 billion baht, with an annual fee of 1 billion baht and a review every five years.

https://www.nationthailand.com/business ... y/40046370

[Jun]

Entertainment complex operators must have minimum registered capital of 10 billion baht. Issuance of a licence valid for 30 years will cost 5 billion baht, with an annual fee of 1 billion baht and a review every five years.

Big casinos, catering to the Chinese. Hopefully the damn things will be miles from anywhere, rather than spoiling anywhere nice.

[Dodger]

Here they go tossing those stones again.

The Parliament won't even start debating this until the end of the year, and the public are against it.

Then Thaksin, a guys who still has criminal charges dangling out there somewhere, wants to assign himself as the head of Thailand's gambling operations. Go figure!

He must have taken classes down in Mar-a-Lago during his time in exile.

[Gaybutton]

There are some similarities between this and casinos in the Bahamas. Bahamians can work in casinos, but cannot gamble.

I can understand why the powers-that-be don't want their people gambling away their money, but I don't like this method. I see news reports all the time about Thais engaging in illegal gambling, including the illegal online gambling sites. Making it impossible for most to enter and gamble in the casinos would, in my opinion, only encourage continued illegal gambling - and the only ones who have anything to gain by that are the criminals.

I think the authorities need to find a different and better way of dealing with the problem if casinos indeed do open.
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Thais effectively barred from entering casinos in new draft regulation

Draft proposes Thai gamblers must hold $1.5 million in fixed deposits

February 17, 2025

If the new draft regulation is approved, casinos in Thailand would effectively admit only foreigners.

Thailand has proposed tough entry requirements for local punters in casinos as it plans to build a major gaming industry to boost tourism, new draft regulation released on Monday showed, which could potentially dent investor interest.

Thai nationals must have at least 50 million baht in fixed deposits for at least six months to be able to enter casinos, according to the draft issued by the Office of the Council of State, which governments consult on legal issues, policy and appointments.

The requirements, which also include an entry fee capped at 5,000 baht, will effectively block large swathes of the population, where per capita gross domestic product is about $7,300, according to government data. Most forms of gambling are illegal in Thailand but illicit betting is rife. Domestic casino players were seen as an important draw for foreign investors, who are closely watching details of the draft law, analyst say.

A Citi report late last year estimated that about half of people age 20 and more in Thailand could be casino players, providing a base for the country to potentially become the world's third largest gambling destination.

An entry fee as high as 5,000 baht would restrict casino access to upper middle class and wealthier Thai individuals, said Daniel Cheng, a gaming consultant based in Singapore.

"A further 50 million baht bank deposit requirement would render Thai casinos no better than foreigner-only regimes like South Korea's," he said.

Fresh public hearings for the new draft law will be held between Feb 15 and March 1. After they conclude, the draft law must be approved by the cabinet before being sent to parliament for deliberation.

Thailand allows gambling in state-controlled horse racing, the lottery and betting on some sports, such as boxing.

Several countries in Southeast Asia have legalised casinos, but only a few like wealthy Singapore has been successful in drawing global giants such as Las Vegas Sands Corp on the back of robust regulations. The Thai government, led by the populist Pheu Thai party, hopes to attract at least 100 billion baht in new investment, for an annual boost to foreign arrivals by 5% to 10% and generate revenue of more than 12 billion baht a year.

Another restriction was that the casino area may only occupy up to 10% of the entire complex space, the draft showed.

Tourism is a key driver of Southeast Asia's second-largest economy. This year, the government expects 38 million foreign arrivals, closing in on its pre-pandemic record of nearly 40 million tourists. But an opinion poll last month found that most Thais oppose the casino plan and some political parties argue that building a gambling industry would worsen social problems.

https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/ge ... egulation-

[Jun]

Making it impossible for most to enter and gamble in the casinos would, in my opinion, only encourage continued illegal gambling - and the only ones who have anything to gain by that are the criminals.

Possibly including any uniformed criminals who might turn a blind eye to that illegal gambling, for the usual incentives?

As for banning your own nationals, well I think Cambodia does something similar. Possibly for their own good.
I wouldn't dream of going to a casino, but I'd be even less likely to in a country that bans it's own from them. I perceive more chance of crooked games if they're just there to milk foreigners.

[Gaybutton]

I perceive more chance of crooked games if they're just there to milk foreigners.

I doubt that casinos run crooked games. With the odds in their favor they don't have to. If they are ever caught doing that, even a rumor of them doing that, could destroy the casino.

Unless anyone has concrete evidence of Thai casinos, once they open, running crooked games, I am not going to allow posts saying they do or even implying that they do. Sorry, but I do not intend to find myself on the wrong end of a lawsuit.

[Dodger]

It makes sense to me why they wouldn't want Thais gambling in the casinos because this would only help feed the mafia loan-sharks.

Thais, similar to other Asian cultures, become obsessed with gambling easily...borrow way more money from the loan-sharks then they can pay back (on time) - and can (and do) suffer terrible consequences as a result. This, unfortunately, is extremely commonplace in rural Thailand where the people live day-to-day on their finances.

For this reason I see this proposal to ban Thais from gambling as a way to not only protect them - but protect their families as well.