According to a recent survey by the Thailand National Institute of Development Administration (NIDA), fewer Thais are opposing the idea of casino resorts in the country, despite the majority still being against.
Public Resistance to Casinos Remains Strong Despite but Lower than Before
The survey, carried out between June 16 and 18, 2025, gathered responses from 1,310 individuals aged 18 and above, representing a wide range of regions, education levels, occupations, and income groups. Around 57% of respondents said they opposed both entertainment complexes (ECs) and casinos. This marks a slight decrease from roughly 59% recorded in a NIDA survey conducted in January.
Meanwhile, 24.12% expressed support for both, down from around 29%. An additional 8.78% supported ECs without a casino, while 1.37% supported only a casino. Over 8% of participants did not express an opinion on the matter.
In follow-up questions posed to the roughly 57% who opposed both entertainment complexes and casinos, 84.15% maintained their opposition even if the projects were entirely funded by private investment with no government budget involved. Another 11.31% said they would support ECs without casinos under such conditions, while only 3.26% expressed support for both.
When asked whether their views would change if the government enforced strict anti-money laundering laws and entry regulations for casinos, 81.47% still opposed both, 10.49% supported ECs without casinos, and 6.18% supported both. When it comes to the idea of holding a national referendum on the issue, 61.60% were in favor, 30.08% were opposed, and the rest either gave no response or had no opinion.
What Else Did the Survey Find Out
In response to a proposal that revenue from entertainment complexes be used to fund education, infrastructure, and support for vulnerable groups, 78.21% of respondents still opposed both ECs and casinos. Meanwhile, 14.10% supported ECs without casinos, 6.53% supported both, 0.58% supported casinos only, and another 0.58% expressed no opinion.
When asked about the chances of the draft entertainment complex bill passing its first reading in Parliament in early July, 37.10% of respondents believed the bill would be debated but ultimately rejected. Another 27.48% thought it would be postponed, while 19.85% expected it to pass. Meanwhile, 7.40% believed Parliament would be dissolved before the bill could be considered, and 8.17% gave no response.