The bill would authorize casinos to operate within entertainment complexes in the country in a bid to boost tourism.

According to multiple sources, including Times Now and the Bangkok Post, Thailand’s government is advancing a bill that will permit casinos to operate legally within entertainment complexes across the country.

According to sources, the Finance Ministry has completed the draft of the Entertainment Complex Act. As required by Section 77 of the constitution, the bill will undergo a public hearing to ensure public participation before being presented to the cabinet for consideration.

Deputy Prime Minister and Commerce Minister Phumtham Wechayachai confirmed that leaders and representatives of the coalition parties will meet today at Government House. One of the main topics on the agenda is the entertainment complex bill, which aims to legalize casinos and regulate the gambling industry.

The bill outlines the rationale for establishing entertainment complexes and legalizing casinos within them. It argues that while the tourism industry already contributes significantly to the national economy, the entertainment sector has the potential to further increase tourist spending.

“Promoting and regulating integrated entertainment complexes that meet standard requirements is an important measure to encourage domestic investment, which in turn will benefit the country and help support sustainable tourism,” states the bill.

The bill comprises 65 sections and requires that an entertainment complex obtain a licence to operate, which will be valid for up to 30 years. Operators must pay 5 billion baht for registration and an annual fee of 1 billion baht. The complex will be reviewed every five years, and the licence can be renewed for an additional 10 years after the initial 30-year period.

Access to these venues will be restricted for individuals under the age of 20. While foreigners will have unrestricted access, Thai citizens will be required to pay an entrance fee of 5,000 baht. (It may be the first instance in which Thailand’s often-criticized ‘two-tier’ pricing system actually favours foreigners over citizens!)

The bill also proposes the establishment of a policy board chaired by the prime minister, which will be tasked with setting the rules and regulations governing these gaming complexes.

Mr. Phumtham has previously noted that this project is expected to have a significant impact on the economy. In 2022, the global business value of casino-based entertainment complexes was approximately US$1.5 trillion (53 trillion baht), with projections suggesting an increase to US$2.2 trillion by 2028.

He highlighted the success of similar ventures in other regions, noting that Macau, with a population of only 690,000, generates up to US$32 billion annually from casino-based entertainment. Las Vegas follows closely with US$30 billion, while Singapore generates US$12 billion. With Japan planning three such projects, Mr. Phumtham emphasized the need for Thailand to accelerate its own plans to capture a share of the global revenue.

According to a report by the House committee, the project could generate at least 12 billion baht in taxes for the country in its first year. The committee’s study examined the potential economic, social, educational, and cultural implications of hosting such venues, the business structure and revenue collection, as well as the legal criteria for regulating entertainment and gambling activities. Five locations have been identified as potential sites for the project: two in Bangkok, and one each in the Eastern Economic Corridor, Chiang Mai, and Phuket.

However, not all are in favour of the plan. Pariyes Angkurakitti, a spokesman for the opposition Thai Sang Thai Party, criticized the project, warning that weak law enforcement could undermine efforts to regulate the casino industry effectively.