36 people arrested after illegal gambling den raid in Saraburi

On March 25th, 2024, the Thai Crime Suppression Division raided a residence in Nong Don, Saraburi, after a local tip-off about illicit gaming activity.

During the police investigation, multiple people were discovered gathering at the apartment, engaged in card playing. The police quickly encircled the property, detained 36 people, and seized 30,000 baht in cash.

Further inquiry found that the gambling den had only been open for two days before being shut down. The accused alleged that they were persuaded by gambling insiders to meet at the house for card games before being abruptly detained by officials.

The police first accused the defendants with conspiring to engage in illegal gaming operations before transferring them to the Nong Don police station for further legal proceedings.

In Thailand, gambling activities are limited to the national lottery and horse racing, with all other kinds of gambling being prohibited.

Despite the ban, Thailand’s underground gambling industry persists, including illicit casinos, internet betting platforms, clandestine lotteries, and improvised bookies that take bets on events ranging from cockfights to Muay Thai competitions.

According to ThaiPBS, law enforcement has apprehended 10,644 gambling suspects, including 9,000 people who gambled on football events during the World Cup.

The significant cash produced by these illegal gaming businesses, together with the expansion of gambling establishments in neighboring countries like as Cambodia, Laos, and Myanmar, has prompted some authorities to suggest changes to the obsolete 1935 gaming Act.

Casinos in Poipet, Cambodia, usually draw Thai customers, and many Thais work in these institutions.

Several Thailand’s neighboring nations have legalized gambling and built casino complexes to boost their economies. These include Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Malaysia, and Singapore. Despite these changes, Thailand retains its restrictive 1935 Gambling Act, which restricts cash betting to the state lottery and horse racing at state-licensed racetracks.

Original story by: CTN News