Thai Government Set to Renew Talks about Online Gambling Legalization

Presently, Thailand has very few regulated gambling options, with the country making a strong push to introduce land-based casinos at a time when such developments are underway in Japan, Vietnam, and further afield in the United Arab Emirates.

Thailand Explores Online Gambling Regulation as Possibility

However, the country’s government is also keen on exploring another form of gambling – online. Deputy Prime Minister Prasert Jantararuangtong has confirmed that lawmakers will be debating the subject intensively over the coming months.

There seems to be gathering momentum for the adoption of regulated online gambling, and calls from party bigwigs, including Thaksin Shinawatra, the country’s former prime minister and father of the incumbent, Paetongtarn Shinawatra.

Shinawatra Sr worries that by leaving online gambling in a state of unregulated limbo, the country’s citizens are suffering, as they are lured by unauthorized gambling websites that prey on them.

In contrast, regulating the online gambling market could help combat the black market reduce its clout in the country, and better protect consumers. Thailand supposedly has a large population of daily active players who turn to such unlicensed operations – an estimated four million people, as a matter of fact.

The deputy prime minister is confident that apart from shielding consumers from harm, the regulation of online gambling could have a strong positive impact on the economy, helping Thailand secure an additional source of income to prop up the public purse.

Whether online casinos and sports betting platforms become a possibility in Thailand remains to be seen.

Land-Based Gambling Coming to Thailand in 2025

However, Asia is generally not very well known for its legal gambling sites. South Korea, Japan, and many other countries in the region actually do not regulate these verticals, which has made them fertile soil for clandestine operations.

At the same time, Thailand is pushing forward with a draft bill that lawmakers are confident would create the groundwork for the arrival of the first casino resorts in the market. The bill is predicted to be a success and to be finally voted on and passed by the end of 2025.

There has been a wide public debate about the arrival of land-based casinos, with the majority of observers agreeing that Thailand can use the inherent economic boost such development would bring about.