The Thai Cabinet has approved a bill to legalize casinos and gambling to stimulate tourism, investment and create new jobs. This was stated with reference to the statement of the Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Phathong Than Shinawatra, writes Reuters.
Thailand approves bill to legalize casinos and gambling
Author: Bogdan Muzychenko
The draft law, which will be sent to parliament for consideration, will allow gambling in large entertainment complexes. Casinos are currently illegal in Thailand, but betting on football, underground gambling and lotteries are widespread, the agency noted.
The Thai government claims that due to the lack of legal casinos, the country is losing revenue and not realizing its tourism potential. According to Reuters, gambling is officially permitted in neighboring countries: Cambodia, Singapore, the Philippines, Laos and Myanmar.
Deputy Minister of Finance of the Kingdom Julapun Amornwiwat predicted that as a result of the legalization of casinos, the number of foreign tourists could increase by 5-10%, and tourism revenues would increase by approximately 120-220 billion baht ($3.45-6.32 billion). About 9-15 thousand additional jobs will also be created.
In early January, the head of the Ministry of Finance of Thailand, Pichai Chunhavajira, said that the government in 2025 will allow tourists in Phuket to pay for goods and services with bitcoins. The minister explained the need for the initiative by the growing popularity of cryptocurrencies among foreign tourists.
Cover photo: eskystudio /
Source: rb.ru
