Thailand is moving forward with a bill that could legalize casinos within entertainment complexes across the country. The Finance Ministry has completed the draft of the Entertainment Complex Act, and it is now ready for public review. This step is necessary under Section 77 of the constitution to ensure public input before the bill moves to the cabinet for consideration.
Deputy Prime Minister and Commerce Minister Phumtham Wechayachai mentioned that leaders of the coalition parties will meet at Government House on Monday. One of the key topics on the agenda is the entertainment complex bill, which seeks to legalize and regulate the gambling industry in the country.
The proposed bill argues that legalizing casinos within entertainment complexes could significantly boost tourism revenue. It notes that the tourism industry is already a major source of income for the country, and integrating well-regulated entertainment complexes could further enhance tourist spending.
According to excerpts from the bill, “Promoting and regulating integrated entertainment complexes that meet standard requirements is an important measure to encourage domestic investment, which in turn will benefit the country and help support sustainable tourism.”
The bill contains 65 sections that lay out the requirements for operating such complexes. Key among these is the need for a license, which would be valid for up to 30 years. To acquire the license, operators would need to pay a registration fee of 5 billion baht, along with an annual payment of 1 billion baht. The complex would be evaluated every five years, and after 30 years, the license could be renewed for an additional 10 years.
The bill also sets clear restrictions on who can access these complexes. Individuals under 20 years old would not be allowed entry, and while the venues would be open to all foreigners, Thai citizens would need to pay a 5,000 baht entrance fee.
The bill also proposes the creation of a policy board, chaired by the prime minister, to oversee the regulations governing these gaming complexes.
In discussing the economic impact, Mr. Chai highlighted that the global business value of casino-based entertainment complexes reached $1.5 trillion in 2022 and could grow to $2.2 trillion by 2028. He pointed out that Macau, with a population of only 690,000, generates up to $32 billion from its casino industry, while Las Vegas brings in $30 billion and Singapore $12 billion. He emphasized that Thailand needs to act quickly to secure its share of this growing market.
A report from the House committee on the entertainment complex project suggested that the initiative could generate at least 12 billion baht in taxes in its first year. The committee’s study examined the potential impacts on economic, social, educational, and cultural policies, the business structure and revenue collection, and the legal aspects of entertainment and gambling regulations.
Five locations have been identified as potential sites for these complexes: two in Bangkok, and one each in the Eastern Economic Corridor, Chiang Mai, and Phuket.
However, not everyone is in favor of the proposal. Pariyes Angkurakitti, a spokesman for the opposition Thai Sang Thai Party, criticized the project. He expressed concerns that weak law enforcement could undermine efforts to effectively regulate the casino industry.
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