Upon the appointment of Anutin Charnvirakul new Prime Minister in Thailand, the fate of the integrated resorts bill was somewhat thrown up in the air.
Speaking to local media, however, Charnvirakul has poured cold water on any hopes for the bill and the potential it would put back on the table.
He stated: “If someone says gambling can stimulate the economy, I’d say wait for another prime minister.
“Don’t wait for me, as I don’t agree with this approach. While I was interior minister, I also said poker shouldn’t be allowed. But once I left, they went ahead with it. We must bring righteousness and justice back to our nation.”
He has however emphasised that under his governance Poker will get a second assessment, and potentially be reclassified as a sport.
The shift in status of poker has always felt like it was on the cards, during a press briefing last month, Acting PM Phumtham Wechayachai revealed: “There are still legal obstacles that must be reviewed. If poker is to be classified as a sport, we need strict oversight. What is appropriate should be allowed, and what isn’t must be clearly prohibited.”
Previously, Shinawatra championed the economic uptick that would arrive as a result of the bill, which sought to introduce casinos as part of integrated resorts designed to drive economic growth by attracting international tourism.
Nonetheless, her pursuit of the legislation was dramatically halted when she was abruptly removed from power by the country’s Constitutional Court.
There was however optimism that the bill would be rejuvenated following comments from Deputy Minister Julapun Amornvivat, who stated: “The government intends to reintroduce the bill “when conditions are more favorable.”
A draft bill to legalise integrated resorts as part of integrated resorts was withdrawn in July following political turmoil caused by a leaked phone call between Shinawatra and Hun Sen, Cambodia’s former leader, as tensions on the border between the two countries escalated.
Following the leak, Shinawatra was suspended as protestors gathered to call for her resignation. The Bhumjaithai Party responded by withdrawing from her coalition government, slashing her majority in Parliament.
Subsequently, the Constitutional Court’s judges voted six to three against Shinawatra, ruling that her actions had violated ethical standards expected of her office.
This marks a stark contrast to Japan, where casino legislation continues to progress, prompting fears from South Korea over the competitiveness of the market.
MGM Osaka is set to welcome players in 2030, and industry leaders in South Korea have warned that the country’s current regulatory framework will diminish the competitiveness of its casino and tourism sectors.
“Osaka’s integrated resort is geographically close and poses a serious competitive challenge for our industry,” said Choi Chul-kyu, acting Chief Executive of Kangwon Land, the country’s only casino open to Korean nationals.
Chul-kyu was speaking at an event hosted by the Korea Casino Integrate Resort Association and the Korea Tourism Society in Osaka, which brought together officials and experts to assess the impact of Japan’s new project.
Once the Osaka resort opens, reports suggest that approximately 7.6 million South Koreans could travel there annually, spending an estimated 2.6trn won (£1.4bn).
