Thailand Gambling: Keeping the Dream Alive

Now more than ever, it looks like Thailand will finally have a legal gambling industry, although it remains to be seen what form that will take.

Long considered a pipe dream, the story of Thailand's legal gambling industry is changing. At the end of July, a parliamentary committee established last year to study the possibility of opening Thailand's first casino submitted its findings to the government, recommending the creation of up to five casinos across the country. and major tourist and tourist centers such as Bangkok, Pattaya and Phuket.

 

In a bid to boost tourism due to the COVID-19 pandemic while reducing tax revenue from local players who play elsewhere, the committee also proposed a tax of at least 30% on their revenue and sports. , and minimum age and income. . Funding may be required in the process - perhaps with the aim of attracting international RI expertise. That is in stark contrast to just nine months ago, when experts almost unanimously expressed pessimism about the prospect that Thailand could make its casino a reality.

 

"I have a bad guy," the experienced commentator told Inside Asian Gaming in February. "I can't see them getting what they want to get. A lot of snouts in the dock, a lot of things that are interested. 

 

resh of the parliamentary committee is submitting its report on the heels of another unexpected bill - the decriminalization of marijuana for medical and industrial purposes - passing into law, today's question seems to is when, not if , Thailand will accept legalized gambling establishments. Paul Bromberg, head of Spectrum Asia and a long-time resident of Thailand, said, "It's really a secondary issue now.

 

"The Buddhist Sangha is concerned about the public impact, but I think if they can legalize marijuana, casinos are not difficult to access. That seems to be the general idea.

 

"I think if they want to do it, they can do it and they can do it quickly. Broadly speaking, the movement has begun to support the law and it looks like it will happen soon. 

 

The real issue, says Bromberg, is no longer whether the casinos will be real, but whether the casinos will be legal and operational.

 

Fittingly, his remarks were made during a conference in the recent special edition of G2E Asia: Singapore at Marina Bay Sands - a place still widely regarded as Asia's gold standard when it comes to promoting integrated tourist facilities, but it is not easy to imitate. . "We are sitting here in this amazing building (MBS) and many people in these countries think that they will pass the law and it will happen, it will be like Singapore, but they don't that's all. the hard work that goes through the bureaucrats to draft and enforce laws," he explains.

 

"It's really a big project and [when we] talk about Thailand, I doubt they will be able to create something like what we see in Singapore." 

 

Bromberg is also skeptical of the type of environment that potential investors may face when considering the pros and cons of entering the Thai market. "There have been talks in the past of some big casinos like Las Vegas Sands to move to Vietnam; it is now said that they are watching Thailand. But why should they invest in a country that does not have the proper regulations ? " he says. "It's the foundation on which a successful sports and entertainment industry is based." 

 

When asked if Thailand has the organizational capacity or desire to implement strict measures to attract international investors, Bromberg quickly answered "No".

 

“At the end of the day, they're not very good at planning for the long term. In terms of the law, if you want to watch the horror, it is the recent law for the legalization of marijuana. The basis for that is pretty good - they're going to legalize it for medical use only - but the law that was passed so far allowed carte blanche to legalize marijuana. "With casinos, as far as I know, many supporters think that it is a good idea because it will bring a lot of money to the country, which is very good, but they do not understand the will of the government .that has to be there for the company to be successful. I don't think the politicians understand that 라이브 딜러 카지노 사이트. Companies can understand this and maybe work with the government, but I think it will be a long and difficult process. That doesn't mean we won't see a casino in Thailand before we see MGM open [its IR plan] in Japan (scheduled for 2029 if approved), but it remains to be seen what kind of casino they will be. I doubt it."