The Thai government is advancing legislation on the legalization of casinos, planning to introduce strict financial regulatory mechanisms within integrated entertainment resorts to ensure that gambling activities are controlled. According to the Bangkok Post, the proposal is currently under parliamentary review, focusing on monitoring all financial transactions, restricting high-risk individuals from entering casinos, and setting a minimum investment threshold to prevent the infiltration of illegal funds.
The Deputy Secretary-General of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, Somsak Thepsuthin, revealed that the new regulations will draw on the gambling policies of Singapore, Japan, and the UAE, with each approved entertainment complex required to invest no less than 100 billion Thai Baht (approximately 2.7 billion USD), where the casino area must not exceed 10% of the total building area. Officials emphasize that the system design will prevent money laundering to the greatest extent.
This measure is one of Thailand's grand strategies to revitalize the economy and stimulate tourism, aimed at attracting more foreign investment and enhancing international tourist spending. According to government forecasts, the establishment of integrated resorts is expected to increase the number of international tourists by 120% and drive per capita tourist spending to more than 22,000 Thai Baht.
Officials have repeatedly emphasized that strict regulation under the new system will make money laundering "almost impossible" in legal casinos.
However, the bill still faces considerable opposition from Buddhist groups, civil society organizations, and opposition party members. They point out that the legalization of casinos may lead to serious social issues such as gambling addiction and family debt. Due to strong public skepticism, the bill was postponed earlier this year.
The controversy also includes whether locals can gamble in casinos. The current draft sets a threshold of a personal bank deposit of 50 million Thai Baht, which has sparked widespread criticism. Finance Ministry officials have acknowledged that this threshold is too high and may be adjusted based on public opinion in the future.
The Deputy Finance Minister, Julapong Amornvivat, stated that the government is highly cautious, all clauses will be transparent, and ensure that all legislation is thoroughly debated before passing within the current term.
