The locations chosen for the new casinos in Thailand are Bangkok, Chonburi, Chiang Mai and Phuket. All four locations have significant tourism economies, suggesting that the venues and legislation will be designed to appeal to travellers to Thailand rather than locals.
Furthermore, they aim to cover all corners of Thailand, with the locations reinforcing how much of an economic boost the government believes the legislation will provide.
However, the venues will not be solely for gambling, as the legislation will only allow 10% of the floor area to be dedicated to gambling, forcing them to become entertainment venues that will host a range of events.
However, with delays in finalising the details of the legislation, the market is in limbo following Prime Minister Patongtarn Shinawatra’s decision to take extra time to approve the legislation.
The main obstacle has been the right of Thais to access casinos. This became a potential regulation after warnings about the social impact of casino regulation voiced by Chinese President Xi Jinping.
However, a recent reconsideration of this position, as announced by Deputy Finance Minister Julapun Amornwiwat from officials in the country, has led to the legislation moving away from this sentiment. Amornwiwat stressed that the black market is too big a threat because the industry is not tailored to locals in Thailand.
Public opinion on the potential for casino regulation in Thailand has been mixed, with the National Institute for Development Administration recently warning that Thai citizens’ appetite for gambling legislation is being dampened by concerns about the social impact of the bill.
The body conducted a survey where 59% of respondents oppose entertainment complexes and casinos, which are set to receive government approval after the regulation bill was reviewed earlier this year. On the other hand, 29% of respondents fully support entertainment and gambling establishments.
Similar figures are observed in relation to the opposition to online casinos: 58% of respondents fully oppose the bill on online gaming.
According to the National Institute of Development Administration, 1,310 people took part in the survey, as it sought to better understand the attitudes of Thai citizens towards gambling.
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