Cabinet to review casino feedback

A public hearing on the casino-entertainment complex bill has been completed, with feedback to be submitted to the cabinet, according to the Fiscal Policy Office (FPO) at the Ministry of Finance.
The FPO and the Digital Government Development Agency solicited public opinion about the bill on their websites between Aug 2 and 18. It seeks to set up entertainment complexes and allow casinos to operate legally within them.
Supporters of the bill say tourism brings huge amounts of revenue into the country and entertainment complexes could boost tourist spending even further.
The bill says operators of approved entertainment complexes would receive 30-year licences. Each one must also pay 5 billion baht to register and 1 billion baht annually. Operations will be reviewed every five years. After 30 years, the licence can be renewed for another 10 years.
The complexes would be open to all foreigners, but Thai citizens must pay an entrance fee of 5,000 baht. Individuals under the age of 20 would be prohibited from entry.
An entertainment complex policy committee, to be chaired by the prime minister, will set the rules and regulations governing gaming complexes.
Companies seeking to operate complexes must be limited or public limited companies registered in Thailand with registered capital of at least 10 billion baht.
Some participants in the online hearing suggested the bill be renamed the “integrated resort bill”. They said the new name — based on the Singapore model — would better convey a more positive image.
Some participants proposed reducing the licence’s duration from 30 to 10 years, while others suggested extending it to 50-60 years.
Some suggested operators should be granted a VAT exemption, and that gambling winnings from casinos should also be tax-free. Participants also wanted the entrance fee for Thais to be reduced from 5,000 to a more reasonable 1,000 to 2,000 baht. They added this fee should be applied nationwide for 10 years before any adjustment.
Some argued the complexes should be located in provinces that are major tourism destinations, such as Phuket, Chiang Mai, Chon Buri, Rayong or Hua Hin.
They added that if such complexes are allowed in Bangkok, the number should be limited to three, while in other provinces, no more than seven.
It was also suggested that each casino could occupy between 5% and 20% of an entertainment complex’s total space and could be open 24 hours a day.
Some participants expressed concern, however, that the complexes could be used for money laundering and lead to crime, gambling addiction and other social problems. They proposed a fund to compensate people affected by any adverse impacts of legalised gambling.