Thailand’s casino legislation faces support and scrutiny

Thailand’s Entertainment Complex Bill is progressing through legislative channels, with plans to return to the cabinet in March before advancing to parliament.

The draft bill, approved in January, sets the framework for up to five casino resorts featuring hotels, entertainment centers, meeting facilities, and theme parks. The Council of State supports limiting casinos to 10% of total floor space, though key details, such as resort locations, remain unclear.

Additionally, the government is considering legalizing online gambling to regulate underground operations and ensure proper taxation. A public consultation on igaming will conclude on 1 March.

Critics of Thailand’s Entertainment Complex Bill highlight potential social harms associated with casino gambling.

Thanakorn Khomkrit, secretary-general of the Stop Gambling Foundation, argues that the bill lacks clarity, likening amendments to a “blank cheque” and questioning the council’s law-making process. Chittawan Chanagul, an economics lecturer at Kasetsart University, warns that casinos in developing countries have historically fueled corruption.

Citing the Philippines’ experience with offshore gaming operations (POGOs), she noted links to crimes such as money laundering and extortion, which led President Ferdinand Marcos Jr to ban the industry last year.