Thai public divided and unenthusiastic about Entertainment Complex plans: Poll

Thailand

Viviana Chan

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April 28, 2025

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Thai public divided and unenthusiastic about Entertainment Complex plans: Poll

A recent survey from the National Institute of Development Administration’s (NIDA) “Nida Poll” reveals widespread public skepticism and political tension surrounding Thailand’s proposed Entertainment Complex Business Act, particularly regarding the inclusion of casino facilities.

The poll, conducted among 1,310 Thai adults nationwide between April 21st-23rd, 2025, highlights growing friction between coalition partners Pheu Thai and Bhumjaithai parties that could potentially destabilize the government.

According to the local media outlet Money and Banking, the survey reveals a striking level of public disengagement with the entire proposal, with nearly half of respondents (45.73 percent) expressing no interest whatsoever in either the entertainment complex or casino aspects of the development. This overwhelming apathy presents a significant challenge for proponents of the legislation.

Among those who did express interest, 27.24 percent gave equal importance to both entertainment venues and casinos, while 19.47 percent placed greater emphasis on the broader entertainment complex aspects. Only 7.56 percent focused primarily on the casino element, suggesting that framing the project primarily around gambling facilities may limit public support.

Legislative prospects appear dim

When asked about the bill’s chances of passing without casino provisions, 46.18 percent of respondents predicted failure in the House of Representatives. This pessimistic outlook was countered by 32.67 percent who believed it could still pass, while 19.01 percent considered it impossible to even propose such legislation without including casinos – highlighting how intertwined the gaming element has become with the broader entertainment complex concept.

Bhumjaithai Party’s anti-casino stance creates political tension

The survey particularly focused on reactions to Bhumjaithai Party Secretary-General Chaichanok Chidchob’s firm declaration that “he will never agree with casinos.” This strong stance from a key coalition member has created significant political ripples.

While 35.80 percent of respondents viewed Chidchob’s position as “the right decision,” a substantial 29.08 percent interpreted it as a calculated political negotiation tactic by the Bhumjaithai Party. Another 27.63 percent considered it merely a personal decision unrelated to the party’s official position.

Financial pressures should ensure that Thailand IR bill will pass

Coalition stability at risk

The poll results suggest serious concerns about the government’s stability over this issue. Approximately 20.38 percent believe the Pheu Thai Party will ultimately find ways to push through the entertainment venue with casino inclusion despite opposition. Meanwhile, 17.40 percent think the entertainment complexes with casinos are unlikely to materialize under current political conditions.

More worryingly for coalition stability, 16.26 percent interpret Chidchob’s statement as signaling broader Bhumjaithai Party opposition to casino development, while 13.59 percent expect Bhumjaithai to eventually concede to Pheu Thai’s position after negotiations.

The most concerning scenarios for government stability include:

10.84 percent anticipating potential internal fracturing within the Bhumjaithai Party itself
9.39 percent seeing the casino issue as a possible breaking point for the entire coalition
6.72 percent predicting Bhumjaithai’s potential removal from the coalition government

Only 4.50 percent believe Pheu Thai will ultimately yield to Bhumjaithai’s anti-casino position, highlighting the perception that the senior coalition partner remains firmly committed to including casino facilities in the entertainment complex development.

Macau gaming operator Sands China participated in the 13th Macao International Travel (Industry) Expo (MITE), hosted at the Cotai Expo of The Venetian Macao from April 25 to 27, 2025. During the three-day event, Sands China showcased its latest hotel, the Londoner Grand, along with a range of captivating offerings.

The company’s involvement reflects Sands China’s ongoing commitment to the Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO) and its ‘tourism +’ initiatives, while enhancing the city’s dynamic reputation as a ‘World Centre of Tourism and Leisure’.

Spotlight on Londoner Grand

Sands China’s booth in gleaming gold and regal blue spotlighted its new hotel offering – Londoner Grand, a resort within a resort. Located in The Londoner Macao, Londoner Grand marks a bold new chapter in luxury and style for discerning travellers.

Sands China showcases Londoner Grand at the 13th Macao International Travel Expo

The hotel’s newly-appointed No.1 Ambassador, G Bear, and a preview of his very own G Bear Café, are also key elements. The presence of a scale model of London’s iconic Big Ben, a carriage, and captivating travel and culinary experience videos shown on a large LED screen were all designed to give expo visitors a glimpse into the world of British luxury living.

Exploring MITE, Experience the World

Supported by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the Macao SAR and the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China in the Macao SAR, the 13th edition of MITE was organized by the MGTO and coordinated by the Macau Travel Agency Association.

Under the theme of ‘Explore MITE, Experience the World’, the Expo featured six new major highlights across three halls, creating a comprehensive platform for promotion, exchange, marketing and sales, completed with over 70 destination presentation sessions, forums and activities.

The new highlights included bilingual live streaming of sales products at the Belt and Road Products Pavilion; Coffee Station, Foodie Market and The Cellar to showcase the diversity of flavours in Macao as a City of Gastronomy; a Champions’ Roundtable exchange session and pop-up store displaying the mascots and souvenirs of the 15^th National Games; the Macao Grand Prix Museum and Macao Science Center joining the EduTourism Hive; a Halal Horizons Pavilion to open new market opportunities; and a 3D smart exhibition navigation system complemented by an AI digital ‘human’ as host and virtual anchor.

Bringing together tourism and industry delegates from near and far, the event showcased the world’s newest tourism trends and products while emphasising Macao’s vibrant ‘tourism+’ experiences for residents and visitors.

Following the recent upgrades to its Blackjack and Baccarat offerings, the relaunch of this mobile-friendly format cements LuckyStreak’s position at the forefront of live casino innovation. The new Mobile Live European Roulette has been specifically designed for mobile gaming – playable in both portrait and landscape orientations with a bold interface.

New features include a streamlined UI and thumb-friendly controls for quick chip selection, bet placement and game interaction. Players can toggle easily between classic and racecourse betting layouts, track hot and cold numbers, review winning stats and save their favourite bets for speedy reuse.

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LuckyStreak’s new Mobile Live European Roulette game is now in-play and available to all operators and players. This launch demonstrates LuckyStreak’s ability to keep pace with some of the industry’s most popular live dealer suppliers and adapt to ever-evolving technological advancements.

Erez Cywier, CTO and co-founder at LuckyStreak, said: “This version of our Mobile Live European Roulette reflects everything we’ve learned from past relaunches and customer feedback. The new interface is sleek, intuitive, and designed for seamless play—without compromising the features our players love. We’re not trying to shout louder than the competition — we are proving that we belong in the top tier. With Mobile Live Roulette, we’ve once again delivered a product that not only matches, but in many ways surpasses, the best in the market in terms of usability.”

Anastasia Rimskaya, Chief Account Officer at Aviatrix, said: “This is a huge milestone for Aviatrix. Brazil is one of the most exciting, newly-regulated markets in the world. There is massive demand for high-quality content, and that’s why we know Aviatrix is going to thrive. We’re looking forward to bringing the game to the country via some world-class partners. Get ready for takeoff.”

Aviatrix has been rapidly expanding in Latin America over recent months, including in Peru and Colombia. The company was also named ‘Rising Star in Casino’ at last year’s SBC Awards Latinoamérica.

“The Mohegan Tribe is thrilled to make this investment into notes of Mohegan, providing the Company with extended maturity runway and financial flexibility,” said James Gessner Jr., Chairman of the Tribe. “This is a clear demonstration of our unwavering commitment to the success of Mohegan and strengthens our alignment with investors.”

Ari Glazer, CFO of Mohegan added in the announcement that the transactions helped the company create substantial financial flexibility.

“Mohegan will have no material debt maturities for the next four years. We will continue to prudently manage our capital structure to reduce leverage, improve borrowing costs, and create greater strategic flexibility for years to come”, Glazer noted.

The refinancing follows Mohegan’s loss of control over the $1.6 billion INSPIRE Entertainment Resort in Incheon, South Korea, after defaulting on a $275 million Korea Term Loan.

Although the Company attributed the default to missed financial targets rather than missed payments, creditor negotiations collapsed. In February, Bain Capital exercised remedies including the appropriation of shares in MGE Korea Ltd., the resort’s parent company.

Despite the operational setback, INSPIRE has reported promising performance metrics. Its non-gaming operations opened in November 2023, with its foreigner-only casino launching in February 2024. The property generated $63.5 million in net revenue in 4Q24.

Alpha Odds is offered via Sportradar’s Managed Trading Services (MTS) and Premium Cricket Service, covering more than 400 in-play and 200 pre-match betting markets during each cricket match. This allows operators to optimise their trading strategies and extract maximum value from a sport featuring a year-round calendar of competitions.

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Darren Small, Senior Vice President, Managed Trading Services at Sportradar, said: “Introducing Alpha Odds into cricket is a game changer. We are bringing real-time, AI-driven precision pricing to a new arena, giving operators sharper margins and bettors a more dynamic experience.”

In a Thursday note, Fitch Ratings projected one possible scenario in which US operators are ‘compelled to sell their Macau operations’. The analysts say this ‘could become more plausible if US-China relations deteriorate further in the medium term but that is not envisaged in the forecast horizon’.

Sands China, MGM China and Wynn Macau are understandably calculating the odds of retaliation over the backwards and forwards tariff impositions brought about by the administration of US President Donald Trump.

However, the term of the Trump presidency ends in 2029 (barring a rewrite of the US Constitution), while Macau’s 10-year gaming licenses extend on until 2032.

Given that taxes on gaming revenues provide around 80 percent of Macau’s total tax revenue, aside from employing tens of thousands directly and indirectly, it would not be in best interest of the SAR to let the US-China trade dispute bleed into its own politics.

Plus, all six of the gaming operators in Macau have pledged to develop non-gaming in the city. Data from Jefferies indicate that Sands China’s non-gaming pledge amounts to $416.48 million per year in non-gaming spend, with that of MGM China totaling $224.72 million and Wynn Macau amounting to $210.11 million per year. That’s just under the concession commitment.

Other ways to retaliate

Fitch notes that in previous diplomatic disputes, ‘China has targeted foreign companies […] and these actions typically involved increased regulatory scrutiny rather than outright bans’. Macau also has its own judicial and legal system largely separated from China, meaning it would have to pass its own laws or administrative regulations to punish US gaming operators if it thought such a move necessary.

Another possibility outlined by the analysts is a consumer boycott, however, given the relative stability in gaming revenues after the tariffs were announced, it appears that consumer sentiment has been largely unaffected. Punters choose where to play based on comfort, access and credit lines rather than politics. Even if such a boycott were to occur, the analysts indicate that historically ‘they tend to be short-lived’.

But Fitch notes that fluctuation in Macau would definitely hurt the operators’ bottom line, with Las Vegas Sands deriving 63 percent of consolidated FY24 revenues from Macau, which drops to 52 percent for Wynn Resorts and 23 percent for MGM Resorts International.

How to mitigate the risks

Although US gaming operators ‘could be subject to retaliation’, the more concerning aspect is that ‘the weaker economic outlook in China is likely to pressure gaming revenues and earnings in Macau’.

But strong balance sheets from the operators could help ‘mitigate some of these risks’. Also, the way that finances are structured, with Macau operations being owned via non-wholly owned subsidiaries listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, ‘legal ringfencing separates the Macau operations from the US-based entities’.

‘The US entities and international subsidiaries have separate debt issuances with outstanding balances roughly proportionate to EBITDA generation, and there are no guarantees between parents and subsidiaries’.

Looking per company, Fitch highlights that ‘LVS has ample rating headroom at current levels’ and ‘liquidity is abundant’. MGM and Wynn ‘also have adequate rating headroom at current levels’.

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Yuriy Muratov, 3 Oaks Gaming — Yuriy Muratov, CCO at 3 Oaks Gaming

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Good Morning. Will Thailand be able to advance with legalizing casinos? Following a recent Senate committee meeting, the answer is still unclear, as members failed to reach consensus, even as opposition voices gain strength. Meanwhile, in Japan the future is already decided, as a ground breaking was held for MGM Osaka, despite some predicted headwinds. And in results, Las Vegas Sands saw continued success in Singapore, while Macau lagged slightly behind expectations.

What you need to know

Thai Senate committee’s first meeting exposes deep divisions over gambling legalization within entertainment complexes.
Construction of the $10B MGM Osaka begins, with high expectations for how the IR can draw in tourism.
Las Vegas Sands results drop in 1Q25, as Macau lags expectations, however Marina Bay Sands continues to deliver.

On the radar

Bloomberry to launch new online gaming platform in 2Q25.
G2E Asia to feature Francis Lui and Ed Bowers as keynote speakers.
StarDream Cruises to call Thailand its home port nation.
Macau receives 1,230 STRs in 1Q25, gaming sector reports down 20.8%.
Thai authorities bust illegal crypto trading ring.
Visa-free agreement between China and Malaysia extended for five years.

AGB Intelligence

THAILAND

First Senate committee meeting exposes divisions

Thailand continues to keep potential investors guessing about the possible future of casinos in the country. In the latest update, a Senate committee formed to address opposition to the legalization of gambling failed to find consensus on how to proceed. Anti-gambling voices are gaining momentum, despite attempts from pro-casino figures to point out potential economic benefits and efforts to rein-in illegal gambling.

Industry Updates

PAGCOR strengthens quality standards with ISO 9001:2015 recertification.
BMM Testlabs gets official approval to test gaming products in the UAE.
Continent 8 reinforces cybersecurity defenses for Tachi Palace Casino.

INTELLIGENCE | ASEAN | CAREERS

A recent survey from the National Institute of Development Administration’s (NIDA) “Nida Poll” reveals widespread public skepticism and political tension surrounding Thailand’s proposed Entertainment Complex Business Act, particularly regarding the inclusion of casino facilities.

Legislative prospects appear dim

Coalition stability at risk

Table of Contents

Spotlight on Londoner Grand

Exploring MITE, Experience the World

Table of Contents

LuckyStreak, a premium live games provider, has announced the release of its new Mobile Live European Roulette game, delivering a stunning player experience with a sleek mobile-first interface, smooth gameplay, and a host of powerful new features.

Table of Contents

The award-winning crash game Aviatrix has received certification for Brazil’s online gaming market, ensuring full compliance in the market.

Table of Contents

The Mohegan Tribal Gaming Authority has finalized a major financial restructuring, closing a series of refinancing transactions to improve its capital structure and liquidity following its recent loss of operational control at Korea’s INSPIRE Entertainment Resort.

Table of Contents

Sportradar has announced the expansion of its Alpha Odds into cricket. Sportsbook operators can now leverage this premium odds solution to maximise profits and efficiently manage risk on a sport that generates an estimated €80 billion in global betting turnover annually.

Table of Contents

‘Termination or non-renewal’ of US-backed Macau gaming companies’ licenses ‘would be a worst-case scenario,’ which analysts at Fitch say is ‘highly unlikely’.

Other ways to retaliate

How to mitigate the risks

Table of Contents

3 Oaks Gaming has crafted its latest creation with the release of 3 Hot Teapots: Hold and Win, a 5×3, 25-line slot that blends classic jackpot mechanics with three progressive meters, each unlocking unique bonus modifiers.

Table of Contents

Play’n GO reintroduces their iconic explorer in Rich Wilde and the Tome of Dead, a grid slot where forbidden knowledge, ancient deities, and raw chaos collide.

Table of Contents

What you need to know

On the radar

THAILAND

Industry Updates

Table of Contents

ENQUIRIES & SUBSCRIPTIONS

CONTACTS

**Play’n GO reintroduces their iconic explorer in Rich Wilde and the Tome of Dead, a grid slot where forbidden knowledge, ancient deities, and raw chaos collide.**