Thailand’s cabinet on Thursday took yet another step towards legalized casino gaming in the Southeast Asian nation by passing the country’s draft Entertainment Complex Bill.
However, questions still remain given that the bill has retained a clause requiring Thai nationals to hold a minimum THB 50 million (US$1.5 million) in fixed deposits for at least six months to be able to enter the nation’s legal casinos.
As reported by Inside Asian Gaming, candidate operators and industry experts have described the clause as an “absolute deal breaker”.
Despite the controversial clause, news agency Reuters quoted Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra as stating that details of the law were not final and that parliament would have the final say.
The casino law still has to pass through the House of Representatives and the Senate before being signed off by the King.
While Thai authorities continue to push the casino bill as a key initiative to increase tourism and boost foreign investment, an IAG study suggests that large-scale entertainment complexes may not generate the level of interest expected with only six internationally-recognized operators considered likely to bid.
