The government’s initiative to create an entertainment complex featuring a casino in Thailand is gaining momentum, with projections indicating that up to 90% of its patrons will be Thai gamblers, according to insights from the Finance Ministry.
Currently, the draft law governing this entertainment complex is being reviewed through public hearings, a process mandated by the constitution.
The push for a casino is led by a special House committee focused on studying integrated entertainment complexes, chaired by the caretaker Deputy Finance Minister. The findings of this study have been presented to the cabinet, prompting the drafting of the legal framework.
The research suggests that, should a casino be established in Thailand, a significant portion of the clientele would be local residents. Drawing parallels with Macau, where about 10% of the population participates in casino gambling, it was noted that 90% of these gamblers are local residents, while the remaining 10% are international visitors.
Utilizing population data from 2022, the committee estimated that around 37 million Thai residents between the ages of 18 and 75, who do not hold national welfare cards, could potentially visit a casino. In the same year, Thailand attracted 11 million foreign tourists.
Based on relevant statistics, it is projected that approximately 4.8 million individuals could engage in gambling activities within casinos, with an estimated breakdown of 1.1 million foreigners and 3.7 million Thai residents participating.
The figure of 3.7 million Thai gamblers aligns with previous data showing that 4.48 million Thais were involved in card gambling in 2021. It is anticipated that many of these gamblers, who typically traveled abroad for gaming, would opt for local casinos once they are operational.
The projection that 10% of the population would gamble in casinos serves as a conservative estimate, as some global reports suggest that up to 26% of people participate in gambling activities.
The draft legislation designates the prime minister as the primary authority enforcing the rules for the entertainment complex, with an Entertainment Complex Policy Committee, also chaired by the prime minister, tasked with overseeing its management.
Entities seeking to secure operations of the entertainment complex must be either limited or public companies with a minimum registered capital of 10 billion baht. These companies must secure a license from the Entertainment Complex Policy Committee, which has a validity of 30 years and can be renewed for ten-year intervals.
The licensing process involves a fee of 5 billion baht, along with an annual charge of 1 billion baht. Additionally, the entrance fee for Thai citizens wishing to access the casino is capped at 5,000 baht per person.
