Thailand is known for its scenic beauty, tropical beaches, ancient temples, royale places, and more. The place is most famous for two reasons; one is the Buddha, and another is gambling followed by diversified activities to explore the place. However, Thailand has prohibited all forms of gambling activities, excluding horse racing and lottery, but still, people manage to enjoy the thrill anonymously.
If you are one who is a resident of Thailand or planning to enjoy a vacation there, you must want to try your hand at the game of luck. So, let’s see in detail why gambling is against the law, the government regulations for gambling in Thailand, and how you can access casinos to place your bet.
What Are The Gambling Laws in Thailand?
Except for horse racing and government-sponsored lottery, every type of gambling in Thailand is exciting. All the laws are covered under the Gambling Act 1935, according to which all card-based games that are 120 in total are banned in Thailand. Apart from that, all the betting on animals, like dog fighting and cock fighting, is illegal. Even all casinos that include slot machines, poker, and roulette are banned in the country.
But still, there are so many casinos that are operating in Thailand, especially in Bangkok, as tourists from across borders visit there to enjoy the nightlife. And Bangkok is the place that produces the highest revenue in the country. So, illegal casinos and other types of gambling are still available in the same areas of town.
Several physical and online gamblers are operating in Thailand. The government is taking a slow step to ban all these websites, and the Ministry of Digital Economic and Society (MDES) is responsible for monitoring all the illegal casinos. Recently, with the collaboration of the State Agency, they started to block their website permanently if caught.
So, there are few scopes to gamble in Thailand, and if anyone gets caught, then he or she has to pay at least 1000 baht as a fine or else can be imprisoned for one year. However, tourists from other countries are allowed to gamble only in licensed casinos.
The Reasons Why Gambling Is Illegal In Thailand!
Thailand wasn’t always against gambling, and several games were introduced by foreign traders and immigrants. By the 19th-century, the Thailand gambling industry was at its peak and became the top gambling hub in the world. But during the time of King Rama III, the industry collapsed, and many casinos came into the age of bankruptcy. Due to gambling, criminal activities were also increasing. Finally, by seeing the circumstances, in 1917, King Rama V declared gambling illegal in the region and began to shut down all the casinos.
The other reason why gambling isn’t considered a healthy practice in Thailand is because the majority of the population follows Buddhism. And according to Buddhism, gambling is stated as ‘Abaiyamuk’, which means the opening to hell, and if you don’t want to suffer in life, you must avoid it. So the people started protesting against gambling as their personal sentiments were hurting.
Seeing all these issues, the first Gambling Act was passed in 1930 and adopted in 1935, according to which all the land-based casinos and other similar activities are banned in Thailand.
How To Bet Online In Thailand?
Since gambling has been banned in Thailand, people have started looking for alternatives to betting in online casinos. In Thailand, people take a keen interest in casinos, and a large number of players wager over the internet every year. Seeing this craze, the Asian bookmakers entered the market, and almost every online casino accepted players from Thailand. Additionally, the US market took place in the competition and introduced its best sites, namely, PokerStars and Full Tilt, where many players are engaged.
However, the government keeps tracking such activities and has already blocked all these sites, but they can be accessed through a VPN.
When choosing a casino that accepts Thailand players, you must check their authenticity, payment options, withdrawal policies, collection of games to bet on, and other essential factors that will assure you be out of trouble.
Things To Keep In Mind While Betting In Thailand
- If you enjoy gambling or playing online betting games like poker, you must take safety precautions and try to stay at home while playing.
- If you are playing in a public place using your phone, be in a safe place and avoid drawing attention though you are winning.
- Maintain your secret, and don’t tell anyone about your gambling status, even your friends and families. And most important, don’t upload your winning stories on social media as it can create problems, and you might get busted.
Foreigners should take extra caution when gambling in Thailand because the government doesn’t consider online gambling or betting on games like poker to be legal employment or business activity. If the authorities find that your money comes from internet gambling or poker, you could even face deportation and serious criminal charges. That’s why it’s better to play on Gclub, Thailand’s leading privacy-oriented casino.
Conclusion
Thailand is a place where gambling is illegal and considered a criminal offense that can take you into great trouble if you aren’t aware. Though many gambling sites and land-based casinos are illegal but still operating, it’s very difficult to gamble in Thailand. If you aren’t experienced enough, you should avoid them, or learn about gambling laws in Thailand, get ready yourself, and choose the gambling platform that is safe to bet on. Keep yourself anonymous and never reveal your gambling career to anyone.
Gambling is banned in Thailand but still, but there are many casinos still operating, and several professional gamblers are involved across the country. It is one of the popular hubs where people worldwide love to visit the place, especially for thrilling casino moments.
So, if you want to gamble and earn in baht,, Thailand is the option you can visit. But be sure to take safe stakes by following the government rules and regulations while betting in Thailand.
