In a significant policy shift aimed at broadening participation in its emerging gaming industry, Thailand has scrapped plans to limit casino access only to citizens with fixed deposits of at least 50 million baht (roughly $1.5 million).
Deputy Finance Minister Julapun Amornvivat announced Monday that the draft law will now permit Thai nationals with a three-year tax history to enter casinos, replacing the stringent asset criterion that would have excluded over 70 million people.
“This criteria would not be able to solve illegal gambling,” Amornvivat told reporters, adding that only about 10,000 deposit accounts in the country currently exceed 50 million baht. The revised measure is seen as a necessary step to ensure that the booming domestic market can serve as a major draw for foreign investors.
Under the proposed law, a casino entry fee of 5,000 baht remains intact. The draft legislation, which aims to transform Thailand into one of the world’s largest gambling destinations, will soon be submitted to the cabinet for approval and then forwarded to parliament before the current session ends on April 11.
Thailand already permits gambling on state-controlled horse racing, the lottery, and select sports such as boxing, while other forms of betting remain illegal despite widespread illicit activities. A Citi report late last year estimated that nearly half of Thais aged 20 and above could become casino players, potentially propelling the nation to become the world’s third-largest gambling hub.
The government projects that the revamped casino law could attract at least 100 billion baht in new investment, boost foreign visitor numbers by 5 to 10 percent, and generate annual revenues exceeding 12 billion baht. However, the plan faces domestic opposition; a January opinion poll indicated that most Thais are against the casino proposal, with several political parties warning that a gambling industry might exacerbate existing social problems.
As Thailand navigates these changes, the government remains focused on balancing economic growth with social stability, hoping that a more inclusive approach to casino access will unlock substantial investment and tourism opportunities.
Two firefighting helicopters collided while battling a major wildfire in Greece on Sunday, as emergency crews fought to contain blazes that have destr...
U.S. President Donald Trump said late on Saturday he would hold off on a fresh attack on Iran as long as a deal could be reached quickly to halt Iran'...
A deadly mass crossing from Morocco has placed renewed attention on Ceuta, a small Spanish territory on the North African coast that serves as one of ...
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 1st of August, covering the latest developments.
U.S. President Donald Trump said late on Saturday he would hold off on a fresh attack on Iran as long as a deal could be reached quickly to halt Iran's nuclear ambitions and reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
Yemen's Houthi-run maritime coordination body on Saturday denied reports that it planned to charge commercial ships transiting the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. It said no such decision had been made and that passage through the strategic waterway remains free.
Wildfires driven by strong winds spread across several parts of Greece on Saturday, including areas near Athens. Large-scale firefighting efforts and emergency evacuations were underway as wildfire conditions also deteriorated in parts of Spain and France.
Apple Pay has launched in Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, expanding digital payment services across Central Asia and supporting the region's shift towards cashless transactions.
Two firefighting helicopters collided while battling a major wildfire in Greece on Sunday, as emergency crews fought to contain blazes that have destroyed more than 100 homes northwest of Athens.
A deadly mass crossing from Morocco has placed renewed attention on Ceuta, a small Spanish territory on the North African coast that serves as one of the European Union’s most politically sensitive external borders.
Hungary is facing five critical days as record-low water levels in the Danube force the country’s only nuclear power plant to shut down for the first time in more than four decades, Prime Minister Péter Magyar said on Sunday.
The death toll from the migration crisis in the Spanish enclave of Ceuta has risen to 72, while more than 48,300 migrants have returned to Morocco, Spanish public broadcaster RTVE reported Sunday.
Wildfires burning across more than 250,000 acres (around 1,011 square kilometres) in Washington state have prompted evacuations and widespread power outages, with officials warning that high winds and extreme heat are making firefighting efforts more difficult.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment