Thailand’s Prime Minister Kills Poker, Intensifies Anti-Gambling Stance

Thailand’s new prime minister, Anutin Charnvirakul, did not hide his distaste for gambling. As soon as he was elected to the position on September 5, Anutin said that any plans to legalize casino resorts were being put on the back burner indefinitely.

Thailand Flips the Killswitch on Poker Games

He went a step further, touting proponents of these entertainment complexes that they would need a different prime minister to make the measure pass. Anutin is now taking matters a step further by effectively banning poker games, tournaments, and events in the country.

This impacts not just game hosts, but also advertisers and marketers who may be promoting them, Asia Gaming Brief originally reported. If true, this is a huge blow to poker in the country, just when Thailand was beginning to find a foothold in global tournament & event calendars.

Anutin’s actions are not bizarre – he has been a lifelong opponent of gambling, seeing any form of regulated activity as a contributor to social ills. Killing poker is not surprising, because Anutin has already said, as interior minister, that he opposed the activity.

Given the power to actually do something about it, Anutin has taken his disdain for the activity into action. Thailand has similarly continued to crack down on illegal gambling and recently arrested 18 individuals tied to unlicensed promotions and operations.