Thailand government seeks measures to tackle the problems of illegal gambling.

[Hippocrypto]

If the revenue is so much as you stated, very well might the government should just select some of the most active ones, and then talk to the casino owners and force them to sign in legal terms. For the casino owners, atleast totally removal of casino is worse than having the casino ongoing and having a lesser profit nonetheless. And yeah, it can benefit all, people who are addicts, casino owners and government!

They also should solve the corruption in their monarch government, many citizens hates the King and I think that this regulation will only anger the people as they do not want to participate in anything that their government does, some will definitely actively participate in this illegal gambling ring just to piss off their government. Taxation is a good thing but the people seem to know that it lines the pockets of the few elites of the country so I get their sentiment if they do not plan to abide this measures.

Government regulations would push every individuals to abide their rules on taxation, by virtue of no choice. This became mandatory on every business establishments, because if they don't follow certain implementation they're considered as illegal gambling operation. If there's a need for petition when there's really a hardships encountered, then it's always open to raise for congress or some officials who can help in a specific country.

[leea-1334]

I think we all know that the Covid argument here is just pretextual. The state is losing millions of dollars in tax revenue due to illegal gambling, and of course they don't want to miss out on that.
Covid is, of course, a great reason to get the broadest possible support among the population for the measures taken.

100% Covid is used to blame everything and anything,,, but the fact always remains in the issue of gambling. Should it be legal so that it can be taxed? But if so, the state has to fight with moral values and religion and ethics, which culturally in Thailand is a vice and frowned upon by most members of society.

[kram31]

This time of pandemic almost majority of the community all over the world are jobless, that's why a lot of people now are doing everything to earn money in online. And of course, in online gambling with a small amount of capital they've been thinking that they can multiply it more than x10 or more. Probably, in Thailand there are a lot of illegal gambling arise in this country, so their state is thinking to resolve it I think.

[Viscore]

Gambling is good but only on the controllable state. 70% is such a big rate, if you will convert that to tax earning opportunity that is huge, but how about the effect of the people, with that huge exposure in gambling then I think the government has a problem.

They can legalized gambling sites or casinos but they need to limit, or if they want to consider gambling taxes as one of their major tax revenue, then they should allow foreigners to run a business and will only allow their people to work to create jobs but not to gamble.

[KennyR]

70% of adults into regular gambling is really a bad thing. If it is in a developed country, then this isn't a big issue. For a country like Thailand, the government need to take necessary steps to safeguard it's citizens. To overcome this government can come up with the plan of creating official lotteries. Every week or every month these lottery draw need to be conducted. When it is pure luck based, people will tend to spend much on it. To make people have self control, a limitation need to be set on buying. This way the government can have control over illegal gambling and add tax revenue.

[stadus]

70% of adults into regular gambling is really a bad thing. If it is in a developed country, then this isn't a big issue. For a country like Thailand, the government need to take necessary steps to safeguard it's citizens. To overcome this government can come up with the plan of creating official lotteries. Every week or every month these lottery draw need to be conducted. When it is pure luck based, people will tend to spend much on it. To make people have self control, a limitation need to be set on buying. This way the government can have control over illegal gambling and add tax revenue.

70% while all of them are illegal gambling, of course the government will reform this as they are not benefiting from this.  If they will put taxes and legalized gambling business, then it could help to improve their economy, unless the government is corrupt and officials are just serving their personal interest.

[XZERO1]

I do believe that the government is not only working to eradicate the COVID hotspots but at the same time they want to make gambling businesses only legal since the revenues are forever in the favor of the government.

That's exactly what's happening there, not saying they don't care about COVID at all, since obviously that will also negatively affect their economy, but for the most part it's about the gambling tax(both for gambling businesses and their customers), of course none of the countries that have legal gambling want to miss out on any portion of the revenue from gambling specially after COVID that significantly slowed down economy, so they will try as hard as they can to keep people from gambling anywhere else other than those which are legal and pay tax to the government.

I believe it was a few months ago that Argentina raised its tax to 5% for gamblers, again the same reason, many governments around the world are facing financial problems due to the COVID and trying to somehow make up for the budget deficit caused by it by any means available.

[plvbob0070]

If they are violating the rules, then it's reasonable for the government to shut down their casino businesses knowing that the safety of the people there will be at risk. The government of Thailand is actually doing great with how they take action towards the pandemic since they have low covid cases compared to other countries and they are probably just preventing another wave. Aside from their aim to prevent the spreading of the virus, illegal gambling won't do any benefits to the government that's why they are being strict with it. From what I have searched, there's only a limited legal form of gambling in Thailand and maybe that causes people to operate illegally. Their government can work on legalizing gambling/casinos in their country since they can benefit from it but I don't think it's the right time to focus on it right now since it can stimulate public gatherings.

[shoreno]

70% of adults into regular gambling is really a bad thing. If it is in a developed country, then this isn't a big issue. For a country like Thailand, the government need to take necessary steps to safeguard it's citizens. To overcome this government can come up with the plan of creating official lotteries.

adults because under age are mainly restricted to gamble but there could be tresspassers but the number are smaller . its 70 percent althought its high but it wasnt 100 percent but it doesnt matter how much percent people are gambling but if they can control their habit that will not be a problem but that can infact contribute to them and to their economy . the main issue here is not addiction or involvement in gambling or being develop or not but its the illegality and legality of gambling in this country

[madnessteat]

That was too much of thinking. How can you say that if you aren't there and sees the situation?

Thailand's government knows better than us. This isn't a childish discussion. ~

Haha. You are very funny. All countries have the same problems that cannot be solved for decades. Such problems include corruption, organized crime, money laundering, drug trafficking, weapons and illegal gambling.

If you have an example of a country that managed to defeat all these problems, I would love to hear about it.

[mindrust]

Banning the casinos isn't going to solve anything. If people are willing to lose money they will lose it anyway. Isn't it better to keep the lost money in the country? Because otherwise those people will play on foreign casinos and that money will go to other countries.

If they are looking for a real solution, I advise them to build more schools and raise the teachers' salary.

[iv4n]

Banning the casinos isn't going to solve anything. If people are willing to lose money they will lose it anyway. Isn't it better to keep the lost money in the country? Because otherwise those people will play on foreign casinos and that money will go to other countries.

If they are looking for a real solution, I advise them to build more schools and raise the teachers' salary.

Well they are talking about illegal casinos... they are illegal! They have plans how to end illegal gambling, but I am not sure if that can be done only by shutting down illegal casinos, they need to create some laws and legalize it... in that way casinos will pay taxes, workers will have all the benefits of a legal job... later those tax money can be used for everything else... you can force casinos to invest some of their profits in the neighborhood they work in!
Banning casinos is not solving anything, like banning drugs! People will always find a way to bypass those bans, and contra effect is more criminals on the streets, money goes in private pockets!

[mindrust]

Banning the casinos isn't going to solve anything. If people are willing to lose money they will lose it anyway. Isn't it better to keep the lost money in the country? Because otherwise those people will play on foreign casinos and that money will go to other countries.

If they are looking for a real solution, I advise them to build more schools and raise the teachers' salary.

Well they are talking about illegal casinos... they are illegal! They have plans how to end illegal gambling, but I am not sure if that can be done only by shutting down illegal casinos, they need to create some laws and legalize it... in that way casinos will pay taxes, workers will have all the benefits of a legal job... later those tax money can be used for everything else... you can force casinos to invest some of their profits in the neighborhood they work in!
Banning casinos is not solving anything, like banning drugs! People will always find a way to bypass those bans, and contra effect is more criminals on the streets, money goes in private pockets!

Depending on what is so illegal about them, they could still compromise. If they have no licenses, those casinos could get their licenses in an agreed time frame. I am sure most of them would comply.

Then they can ban the rest.

What can be illegal about a casino other than missing a gambling license? I don't know.

[dimonstration]

People will always find a way to bypass those bans, and contra effect is more criminals on the streets, money goes in private pockets!

This will always happen, it may be closed now but after cool down or no more loud issues in them they will be back in business, what worse is sometimes those people behind those illegal casinos are in contact with high official or government officials that's why they don't fear to do their business illegally.being strict with implementation of rules and laws should be push to avoid these illegal activities.

[Sithara007]

People will always find a way to bypass those bans, and contra effect is more criminals on the streets, money goes in private pockets!

This will always happen, it may be closed now but after cool down or no more loud issues in them they will be back in business, what worse is sometimes those people behind those illegal casinos are in contact with high official or government officials that's why they don't fear to do their business illegally.being strict with implementation of rules and laws should be push to avoid these illegal activities.

Some people are obviously going to disregard the ban and do their business. But it is going to be risky, and the cops will be having the opportunity with them to blackmail and harass the gamblers. The entire business will be driven underground away from the eyes of the authorities. Mafias will get involved and we may witness increasing incidences of rigging and violence.

[michellee]

Shut down the illegal gambling will not succeed because there will be much more illegal gambling running in a secret place without the government knows. Maybe the government does not need to shut down the illegal gambling, but they can use another approach to the owner and give an offer that can benefit the owner and the government.

People come to illegal gambling because they want to make money by using money. That will not be good for them, but the government can not stop that activity because people already know that others can win through gambling. The discussion will be necessary between the government and the owner to solve illegal gambling, and it is better to invite illegal gambling to join with the government. If that can happen, that can be a success story for them. That can be a new way from the government to clean the mess of illegal gambling in their country.

[bitterguy28]

https://www.gamblinginsider.com/news/10900/thailand-government-announces-sub-committees-to-combat-illegal-gambling


I came across this news where the government of Thailand is looking to get a sub committee ready to tackle the illegal gambling in the country.

They do believe that these gambling sites are the ones spreading the COVID more.

It is not only because of Covid that was being spread (In which expenses from the government) and also the loss of taxation that hurts the country most.

Illegal gambling is gaining Too much money without giving what government deserves and also the chances of the People who gambles that experience not fair treatment because they can not report for what is happening inside for this is illegal .

[iv4n]

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What can be illegal about a casino other than missing a gambling license? I don't know.

Well the first thing that comes in my mind are gambling games in illegal casinos! Except traditional games we play (poker and many card games, slots, roulette, all sort of dice games...) maybe they organize betting on some fights (humans or animals...)...

I got more interested in this topic, so I did a little research... I found some interesting stuff!

"Other than horse racing and the lottery, all forms of gambling are illegal under the Thailand Gambling Act of 1935. The penalties range from 500 to 5000 baht (about $15 to $150). ... There are over 50,000 arrests a year for gambling in Thailand."

"National Lottery is the only form of legal gambling that most people in Thailand have access to. This began in 1974. Today drawings are held on first and sixteenth day of every month"

So as you see all gambling games are illegal, so this illegal casinos can't get any licenses... It's not what I thought at first!

Quotes from above are from these two articles: https://www.onlinebetting.com/legal/thailand/ https://www.onlinebetting.com/legal/thailand/lottery/

Articles are connected, and I think both of them worth reading if you wish to check more about gambling in Thailand!

[coin-investor]

"Other than horse racing and the lottery, all forms of gambling are illegal under the Thailand Gambling Act of 1935. The penalties range from 500 to 5000 baht (about $15 to $150). ... There are over 50,000 arrests a year for gambling in Thailand."

"National Lottery is the only form of legal gambling that most people in Thailand have access to. This began in 1974. Today drawings are held on first and sixteenth day of every month"

So as you see all gambling games are illegal, so this illegal casinos can't get any licenses... It's not what I thought at first!

They are making money from those arrests instead of taxes if gambling is legal, 50000 arrest is big money for the coffer of the government, but these illegal gambling operators are making more money than the government arrest, somebody out there in the government should recommend making gambling legal this is for the government's additional revenue and also to avoid corruption.

[madnessteat]

They are making money from those arrests instead of taxes if gambling is legal, 50000 arrest is big money for the coffer of the government, but these illegal gambling operators are making more money than the government arrest, somebody out there in the government should recommend making gambling legal this is for the government's additional revenue and also to avoid corruption.

It is very important that you have mentioned corruption in your post because until its level is reduced to a minimum, no combating illegal gambling will have a positive effect. Corruption is an invisible enemy that lives among us and until we conquer it it is very difficult to change something for the better in any country.