Thailand’s 500-member House of Representatives approved a proposal for a study on Thursday, led by a group of lawmakers, to explore the possibility of permitting casinos to operate within extensive entertainment complexes. The plan garnered support from 253 out of the 257 lawmakers present.
Reports indicate that the Thai government aims to draw high-spending tourists to bolster Southeast Asia’s second-largest economy while simultaneously addressing revenue losses stemming from illegal gambling activities.
Thailand is considering legalizing integrated entertainment complexes that include casinos as a strategy to stimulate economic growth, as stated by Jakkaphon Tangsutthitham, Deputy Secretary to the Prime Minister for Political Affairs, and Vice Chairman of the committee overseeing the matter. The committee anticipates that legislation will be enacted by the end of the year.
The study that was submitted to the Thai parliament suggests that once integrated resorts (IR) with casinos are established, there is a possibility for a significant increase in average tourist expenditure, potentially by 52 percent to THåB65,050 ($1,790) per trip.
The study also notes that legalizing casinos within entertainment complexes in Thailand has the potential to boost tourism revenue by approximately $12 billion, while the additional income generated could enhance the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) growth by 1.16 percentage points.
