The government of Thailand has been mulling over whether to legalize gambling in the country or not for a very long time. However, the recent global situation has created reasons why now is the perfect time to legalize betting in the nation.

The last months of 2021 have produced several movements in Thailand that prompted the government to open up the nation to gambling opportunities. 

Supporters and critics

With the exception of muslim-dominated countries of Brunei and Indonesia, Thailand is the only remaining Southeast Asian nation that doesn’t have a legal casino like tbsbet, however, the country has strong roots in betting activities.

Gambling activities are prohibited in the country with the only exception of lottery and horse-race betting. Casino games and sports betting are highly regulated and violators of gambling laws will be subjected to punishment.

According to a study conducted in December 2021, 20% of the Thai population are supportive regarding the legalization of gambling. Many of them argued that the industry will generate streams of revenue for the nation and will provide many jobs to Thai people. Some of them also pointed out that the legalization will prevent Thai gamblers from illegally crossing borders to neighboring nations to gamble.

However, there are many skeptics that are shooting down this idea. They argued that Thailand has been a Buddhist country for a very long time and one of Buddha’s teachings is not to engage in morally corrupt activities such as gambling. These oppositions are slowing down the process of the legalization of gambling.

Already a gambling country

The survey also showed that despite the strict enforcement of gambling laws in the country, many Thais have already engaged in gambling activities. According to the survey of the Center for Gambling Studies at Chulalongkorn University, half of the country’s adult population admitted that they have engaged in some type of gambling. 

The findings are concerning as some of these numbers may have come from activities that are deemed illegal. These numbers tied in to the reports that over hundreds of Thais are crossing the borders illegally and gamble in casinos located in neighboring countries of Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam such as CQ9. It is clear that by legalizing betting in the country could prevent such activities from being committed.

Tourism opportunities

Thailand is a nation that heavily relies on the industry of tourism for its national GDP. Due to the effects of the global pandemic, the tourism industry in Thailand is crippled and the economy has crashed down.

According to former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, Thailand is the perfect location to build an integrated resort and casino just like we have seen in Macau and Singapore. These resorts could generate billions of revenue and elevate the economy of the country, however, the only way to make that into a reality is to legalize gambling. If done right, the gaming industry will generate an estimated annual gross revenue of US4.7 billion. 

The repercussions of the pandemic and the growing number of illegal gambling activities have prompted Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha to form a committee that will handle an open discussion regarding the legalization of gambling in the country. The Prime Minister has demanded the committee to gather more data and to test the feasibility of the proposal.

The bottom line

Thailand has long been a rich tourist destination in Asia and the effect of the pandemic has put the industry in danger of crashing. The proposal of the legalization of gambling and the idea of building an integrated resort in the country will restore the economy and boost the tourism sector. 

Danny White