Key points:
– Legalisation of land-based casino resorts in Thailand proposed some time ago but today marks sizeable development
– Prime Minister believes legalisation will "protect the public;" she is also the daughter of former PM who is in favour of land-based casinos
– Competition increasing in Southeast Asia; Mohegan's Inspire resort opened last year in South Korea
According to reports in Thailand, Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra has confirmed the Thailand Cabinet's approval of a draft law to legalise land-based casinos.
The pursuit of integrated resorts had been on Thailand's agenda for some time, with several operators expressing an interest in the potential new market.
More large-scale casinos are slowly entering the horizon in Asia, following the opening of Mohegan's Inspire resort in South Korea last year.
With the success of Marina Bay Sands in Singapore, and some questions being asked about Macau, neighbouring nations in Southeast Asia are looking into the possibility of boosting tourism via this route.
Just last week, reports surfaced over discussions of online gambling legalisation in Thailand.
However, this new development is a significant step for land-based casino resorts in the country.
Currently, state-controlled horseracing and an official lottery are the only legal forms of gambling in Thailand, although there is also some doubt over the future of the nation's N3 lottery.
Good to know: Gambling Insider looked into why Thailand could become a major casino player back in our November/December magazine
The Prime Minister is quoted by the Bangkok Post as telling reporters: "Legalisation will protect the public and would also generate more state revenue."
It is only a draft bill that has been approved by the Cabinet, though this nevertheless paves the way for further progress towards legalisation.
Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra is the daughter of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who in August publicly declared his support for the legalisation of casinos in Thailand.
