Thailand’s government is pushing forward with plans to develop an entertainment complex that includes a casino, and recent findings suggest that it will primarily draw local gamblers. The Finance Ministry predicts that up to 90% of the casino’s patrons will be Thai residents.
Currently, the draft law for this entertainment complex is undergoing public hearings as required by the constitution. The push to establish the casino has been driven by a special House committee, which has been studying the feasibility of an integrated entertainment complex under the leadership of caretaker Deputy Finance Minister Julapun Amornvivat.
The committee’s findings were submitted to the cabinet, prompting the Finance Ministry to draft the necessary legislation. The study predicts a significant local interest in the casino, with the majority of players expected to be Thai citizens. Drawing on statistics from Macau, where a minimum of 10% of the population engages in casino gambling, the committee estimated that 3.7 million Thais would visit the casino.
This estimate aligns with data from 2021, which showed 4.48 million Thais were involved in card gambling. A Finance Ministry source, speaking anonymously, noted that many Thai gamblers currently travel to neighboring countries for gambling. Once local casinos open, these gamblers are likely to stay within Thailand.
The proposed legislation also outlines the structure and regulation of the entertainment complex. The prime minister will enforce the law, and the Entertainment Complex Policy Committee, chaired by the prime minister, will set the management policies. Only limited or public limited companies with a registered capital of at least 10 billion baht will be eligible for a concession to operate the complex. These companies must obtain a license, which is valid for 30 years and renewable for another 10 years. The license comes with a fee of 5 billion baht, plus an annual fee of 1 billion baht. Additionally, Thais entering the casino will pay an entrance fee of up to 5,000 baht.
Thaksin Shinawatra, Thailand’s former prime minister and father of the current premier Paetongtarn Shinawatra, has publicly supported the legalization of casino resorts in Thailand. He emphasized that this move could benefit the country’s economy, a sentiment shared by some of the world’s largest casino operators, including Wynn Resorts, which are considering expanding into Thailand.
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