Casinos in Bangkok: Laws and Reality

June 20, 2022 Thailand Crime & Legal Industry Updates

Is Casinos Gambling Illegal in Bangkok?
Currently, the country has strict regulations about gambling activities and their legality. Still, the government that depends on tourism wants to increase revenues by making casinos legal. Recently, the Lower House of Thai Parliament started to interest in legalizing casinos as the next step to securing the country’s economic growth.

After finding that Singapore’s World Sentosa and Marina Bay Sands resorts expanded the city-state economy by 14.5%, Thai politicians realized they needed to set licensing measures and establish supporting laws. In addition, Thailand has strong economic ties to Japan and expects a significant income from this country.

The Parliament has established a 60-member committee to study needed aspects of prospective legislation. Furthermore, they formed five subcommittees to tackle future Thai laws, taxation, investment efficiency, location, and the impacts of gambling on the broader population.

While some see this move desperate answer to the official growth forecast of 1.2%, this could be an efficient response to the improvement of touristic profit heavily affected by recent events. In the meantime, locals and visitors can try their luck in two popular locations.

Another much more contained industry that’s proven itself to grow like wildfire lately is that of gambling – particularly sports betting. Online is the choice of platform for most, with the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society in Thailand estimating that annually, some $32 million is spent at online gambling sites. While the World Bank sees digital and disruptive tech as set to generate over $3 billion in Thailand, tech isn’t the only driver for growth.

Region diversity encouraging industry growth
Across the Asia-Pacific region, there’s a tremendous amount of diversity, with there being around 4.6 billion people in Asia overall. As Thailand has nearly 70 million residents, it’s one of the most important markets, particularly in Southeast Asia. So, the region overall becomes very appealing to online bookmakers and gambling providers.