A group of political parties in Thailand is reported to have submitted a draft amendment to the country’s current Gambling Act, calling for the nationwide legalisation of both land-based and online casino gaming and proposing the development of four new casinos.
The group is led by the leader of the Thai Local Power Party, Chutchawan Kong-u-dom, and is said to be backed by 20 members of other parties. With increasing tax revenues as their justification, the group wants a new casino built in each of Thailand’s four regions, and specifically in tourist hotspots.
Thailand is facing up to substantial national debt and these new proposals come as the House of Representatives awaits the outcome of an extraordinary committee examination into the feasibility of opening regulated (and integrated) resort casinos in Thailand.
Only three Association of Southeast Asian (ASEAN) nations remain without legalised casinos, with Thailand currently standing firm alongside Indonesia and Brunei.
