National—
On April 2nd, 2024, Mr. Thanakorn Khomkrit, the general secretary of the Stop Gambling Campaign Foundation, mentioned Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin’s statement regarding the deliberation of the study of opening an Entertainment Complex to tackle illegal gambling activities.
Previously, Srettha publicly stated that the Entertainment Complex bill would legalize underground gambling with strict security measures, appropriateness, and proper taxation. Provincial Administration and National Security Departments would be assigned to monitor the matters. Admittedly, Srettha told the public that illegal gambling dens secretly operated.
Thanakorn responded to the statement that it was not secret but it was ignorance as Provincial Administration and National Security Departments did not enforce the laws strictly.
Evidently, claw machines were classified as one of the gambling games by the orders of the Supreme Court’s decision and the Thai Ministry of Interior issued an official letter to issue no license to operate claw machines to any operator, remarked Thanakorn.
However, there were many claw machines and other similar machines at shopping centers, amusement parks, and other locations where youth could access them, it could be said that the matters of fact were not secretly operating illegal gambling activities but the lack of effective supervision. One obvious reason was a personal benefit, said Thanakorn.
Therefore, to legalize underground gambling dens, the Provincial Administration and National Security Departments should better inspect capsule toy vending machines, claw machines, and other similar gambling-like machines on whether they were illegal or not.
It was to build confidence in Thai citizens that legalizing underground gambling dens could be under government supervision and cause no negative consequences, said Thanakorn.
Those machines had attractive prizes and were stationed in one place for more than hundreds of types, it might be considered as a mini-casino for children, remarked Thanakorn.
