Senate committee in Thailand rejects casino bill, but legislation could return

Thailand’s controversial Entertainment Complex Bill, which would have established a legal casino industry in the Southeast Asian nation, got the official thumbs-down from lawmakers on Tuesday.

According to the Bangkok Post, a Senate committee formally rejected the bill due to concerns about social impacts, burdensome infrastructure costs and national security.

The bill was introduced during the administration of former prime minister Srettha Thavisin and championed by his successor, Paetongtarn Shinawatra. It was suspended following her ouster. Paetongtarn, the daughter of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, was impeached in July for her mishandling of a border conflict with Cambodia.

Critics slam rush to legalise casinos

In the rush to legalise casinos despite multiple public protests, the government declined to hold a nationwide referendum on the matter. Several public surveys came to completely different conclusions.

A January poll from the National Institute of Development Administration reported that many Thai residents feared casinos would lead to gambling addiction and increased crime. Almost a third worried national security would be compromised. And more than 30% doubted that they would truly lift the country’s economy. About 17% were concerned the industry would enrich politicians and investors over people.

But in March, during a public comment period, the Thailand Fiscal Policy Office reported that 80% of respondents approved of the legislation. The numbers were so definitive, former election commissioner Somchai Srisutthiyakorn suggested the outcome may have been rigged.

On Tuesday, Senator Chinachot Saengsang said bill supporters misled the public, suggesting casinos were a small part of larger entertainment venues. “The casino is not a side feature – it’s the core of the proposal,” he said. “If the new government includes casino legalisation in its policy platform, it risks undermining public confidence and long-term governance.”

Entertainment resorts without casinos?

One media report called the legislation “dead in the water”, but the senate committee agreed the proposal could be revived under certain conditions.

Vice Chair Sornchat Vichaya Suwannaprom proposed changes including removing the gaming component from entertainment complexes. Other possibilities: casinos with strict controls to limit access by Thai natives, and stringently regulated iGaming.

At one point, to ease concerns about gambling addiction, lawmakers proposed a so-called “millionaire clause”. It would have required residents to demonstrate at least 50 million baht ($1.5 million) in savings before gambling. The average yearly income in Thailand is a fraction of that – about 348,000 baht in 2023.

One thing seems sure: the legislation is in limbo at least until the new year. Acting Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul of the minority Bhumjaithai Party has declared no casino bill will advance on his watch. And that tenure may be short-lived. Anutin assumed power with the provision that he would form a new government within four months.

Is a reset in the offing?

Can a fresh start draw major investors back to the table? MGM Resorts CEO Bill Hornbuckle has called Thailand “an amazing marketplace” and “a meaningful market”. Galaxy Entertainment Group and Melco Resorts & Entertainmant had already opened offices in Bangkok when the legislation was suspended. Hard Rock had considered options in Thailand including a convention-based IR in Phuket.

But Hard Rock International Chairman James Allen recently told iGB his company has “zero interest” in a Thailand IR at this point due to “instability”. 

News outlet The Thaiger is betting that this “stuck-in-a-rut” bill will be back in 2026, but only if the ruling Pheu Thai Party ends political instability and builds a stable coalition government. Only then, according to the report, can Thailand realise the initial goals of the plan: to attract foreign dollars, restore tourism, boost local economies and create jobs.