Thailand is pushing ahead with its grand casino plans – and Thaksin’s all for it

Thailand’s cabinet has approved a draft law to legalise casinos. The Thai PM’s father says gambling could net billions in tax revenue

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Published: 1:51pm, 14 Jan 2025Updated: 1:56pm, 14 Jan 2025

Thailand’s political heavyweight Thaksin Shinawatra believes Southeast Asia’s second-largest economy should push to legalise online gambling, which he said could net the government as much as 100 billion baht (US$2.88 billion) in annual revenues.

Speaking at an event in Bangkok late on Monday, just hours after the Thai cabinet approved a draft law to legalise casinos, Thaksin said the government was coming up with ways to control access to, and tax revenue from, online gambling.

“Online gambling has 2 million to 4 million Thai users with savings of 300 billion baht and gains and losses of about 500 billion [baht] per year,” Thaksin said.

“If we can tax 20 per cent … we would get more than 100 billion [baht] per year.”

Although without a formal role in government, the former prime minister, 75, is one of the most influential figures in Thai politics and is widely seen as a power centre behind the premiership of his 38-year-old daughter, Paetongtarn Shinawatra.

Thailand’s Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra speaks at a press conference after Monday’s cabinet meeting. Photo: Royal Thai Government/EPA-EFE

Paetongtarn told reporters following Monday’s cabinet meeting that the casino bill would also help attract more investments and solve issues of illegal gambling.