The country has published its draft casino proposal to allow for public feedback
A draft bill for proposed casino legislation has been recently released by Thailand’s Council of State and public feedback is being received until August 18. The 22-page document, titled the Complete Entertainment Business Act B.E., shares different plans to create large-scale entertainment complexes featuring casinos in locations chosen by the Thai government. It also includes the formation of a venue policy panel led by the Prime Minister and the establishment of a regulatory body. These entertainment complexes would be managed by private companies with a minimum paid-up capital of TBH 10 billion ($285 million).
This draft legislation comes in the wake of the Thai cabinet’s endorsement of a special House committee report that recommended the legalization of integrated resorts with casinos. Following this endorsement, the cabinet tasked the Ministry of Finance to lead a consortium of 17 agencies to conduct a feasibility study on the proposal.
According to the cabinet’s recommendations, the gaming areas in legalized integrated resorts should occupy no more than 5% of the total project area, with the remaining space allocated for hotels and other entertainment amenities. The projects are envisioned as joint ventures between the government and private operators, potentially using a concession model similar to that of Macau.
Although the exact number and locations of these integrated resorts are yet to be finalized, potential sites include Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Pattaya, Phuket, and Rayong. A recent report from Maybank suggested that Thailand could see its first integrated resorts open as early as 2029. This timeline would place Thailand ahead of Japan in the race to establish legal casino gaming, with MGM Resorts International’s $10 billion project in Osaka not expected to be completed until at least 2030.
Brokerage firm CLSA has projected that a legalized casino market in Thailand could generate annual gross gaming revenues of over $15 billion in the long term. This potentially makes it the third-largest market in the world based on current gross gaming revenue levels.
The public feedback period for this draft legislation is an essential step in shaping the future of casino gaming in Thailand. The government and private sector collaboration aims to create a vibrant and economically beneficial entertainment industry.
