Thai casino legalisation bill withdrawn
The government has formally withdrawn the Entertainment Complex Bill.
Thailand.- The government has formally withdrawn its Entertainment Complex Bill, which aimed to legalise casino gambling within integrated resorts. It cited political pressure and public opposition after coalition parties dropped their backing of the government and prime minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra was suspended by the Constitutional Court.
The bill’s withdrawal was ratified by the House of Representatives with 251 votes in favour and only three against.
Deputy finance minister Julapun Amornvivat insists that the proposal had been postponed rather than canceled. “While I regret the delay, as it may cost Thailand the chance to restructure our tourism sector, I believe the bill will be reconsidered and eventually passed,” he stated.
However, gaming giants such as Galaxy Entertainment, Wynn Resorts, MGM, and Las Vegas Sands, who had expressed interest in the project are now left with no clarity on when casinos in Thailand could be legalised.
Introduced in January, the bill would have allowed large-scale resorts modelled on those in Singapore and Macau. Government projections estimated the plan could increase tourist arrivals by 5–10 per cent and generate nearly THB40bn (US$1.1bn) annually in tax revenue.
But the proposal sparked a fierce backlash from civic groups, opposition parties and religious bodies. Critics warned of increased gambling addiction, household debt, financial crime, and negative impacts on low-income communities. There were protests outside Government House in Bangkok, and over 100,000 people signed petitions calling for the bill’s rejection.
There was also controversy over the proposed THB5,000 (US$140) casino entry fee and a requirement that Thai nationals show proof of THB50m (US$1.4m) in fixed deposits, a threshold beyond the reach of most citizens in a country where per capita GDP is around US$7,300.
Parit Wacharasindhu of the People’s Party questioned the lack of clear data supporting the bill’s economic benefits, while fellow MP Rangsiman Rome highlighted the government’s failure to prepare adequate regulatory safeguards to prevent money laundering and corruption.
The bill’s fate was defined after the July 1 suspension of Prime Minister Paetongtarn following the leak of a phone call with former Cambodian leader Hun Sen amid a deadly border dispute. The Bhumjaithai Party had already withdrawn from the government two weeks earlier, ending the Pheu Thai Party’s majority in parliament.
