By Jorge Costa Oliveira
Partner and CEO of JCO Consultancy
Under Thai Law (Gambling Act BE 2478 (1935)), gambling is illegal even though the Kingdom permits betting on horse races, a government-sponsored lottery, on some Muay Thai fights. For a long time (at least a decade in terms of public political discussion), there have been rumours of the impending legalization of casino gaming in Thailand. Some nearby countries – Laos, Cambodia, Malaysia, Singapore – already legalized it in order to attract foreign tourists, to diversify the touristic products available and to increase government revenue.
On January 12, Thailand House of Representatives approved (by an overwhelming majority) a report prepared by a special House committee studying the feasibility and economic value…
