Thai casino visitors may face high entry requirements

A large obstacle of Thai residents was presented with a large obstacle of the latest regulations for the coded casino in the country.

Under the latest proposals, Thai citizens will need at least 50 million Thb – about $ 1.5 million – in fixed deposits for at least six months before allowing them to enter a casino on the homeland.

This means that the vast majority of Thai will not be able to visit a local casino. The average annual wage in the country is about 1.17 million Thb, which is approximately $ 34,000.

Strict entry features in a draft issued this week by the State Council Office, which advises the Thai government on policy and legal issues.

The amount of the amount needed to qualify as a visitor to the casino is a reflection of the divided opinion between the Thai people and their rulers towards legalizing casinos.

The government of Thailand, led by PHEU THAI currently, believes it can attract more than 100 billion Thb in new investments, as possible annual revenue is estimated at more than 12 billion Thb.

They saw neighbors such as Singapore, the Philippines and Cambodia financially benefit from allowing large casino complexes within their borders.

At the same time, there is a very firm opposition to gambling in a Buddhist majority nation. Some local politicians believe that the legal gambling industry will add social problems.

An opinion poll conducted by the National Development Administration in January 2025 found that 69 % of Thai did not agree to the online gambling, and 59 % opposed the possibility of opening casinos and entertainment complexes in the country.

Opening casinos make Thailand more attractive to tourists. A total of 38 million visitors from abroad is expected in 2025-near the record of 40 million, which was appointed before the Covid-19 crisis.

However, the high entry requirements of Thai who want to visit a casino will ensure that any new facility is being restricted effectively to foreign visitors.

This is a nation with sports and electronic sports. It is about to host the late Masters Bangkok between February 20 and March 2.

Although almost all forms of gambling are illegal in Thailand, betting with unlicensed operators is widely. If the casino gambling is legalized, it may be estimated that about half of the population over the age of 20 can be players.

This means that the Thai government needs to follow a sensitive path because it balances the benefits and defects of enabling entertainment complexes and casinos – and the investment they bring – to come to Thailand.

General listening sessions for the new draft law are taking place between February 15 and March 1. It can then be sent to the Thai Cabinet for approval, followed by discussions in Parliament.

Millions of eyes will be monitored in Thailand and beyond to find out what is happening.