At least 10 per cent of Thais are addicted to gambling, a study found.
BANGKOK – Thailand is again considering legalising casinos to draw investment and tourism, a study submitted to the House of Representative on March 15 showed, but such proposals have been losing bets in the past because of public disapproval.
Many in the industry believe a legal casino market in Thailand would be a huge success in drawing overseas visitors, providing strong competition for the world’s biggest gambling hub Macau, the only place in China where citizens can legally gamble in casinos.but no government has gone ahead due to public opposition. In a 2021 opinion poll, 46.51 per cent opposed legalised gambling due to moral and crime concerns, while 21.25 per cent were supportive.
Under the proposals in the study, seen by Reuters, private companies would shoulder the cost of construction and operation of entertainment complexes comprising casinos while the government would be responsible for taxing and regulation, Mr Sorawong Thienthong, vice-chairman of the parliamentary committee, told Reuters.