By Orathai Sriring and Panu Wongcha-um
BANGKOK (Reuters) -A bill that would legalise casinos in Thailand could be passed in the current government’s term, an official said on Friday, as the prime minister backed a move he said would create jobs and revenue and regulate a thriving illicit gaming sector.
Casinos are illegal in Thailand and the only gambling allowed is at state-controlled horse races and on the lottery. But illicit gambling, soccer betting, underground casinos and lotteries are rife.
Many in the gaming industry believe a legal casino market in Thailand would be a huge success in drawing more visitors to a country already a magnet for foreign tourists, providing strong competition for the world’s biggest gambling hub Macau, the only place in China where citizens can legally gamble in casinos.
“We have to admit that there is illegal gambling in the country, we are trying to…
