Inside Asian Gaming

INSIDE ASIAN GAMING | August 2013 34 IN FOCUS legal gray areas, the local authorities are relatively tolerant of them given the connections of some of the owners and the difficulty of enforcing laws in the Shan State, which is semi-autonomous because of formal agreements and the insurgencies. In some parts of the country, the influence of Thailand and China is stronger than that of Yangon. In Mongla, for example, utilities are supplied by China and the border is controlled by people from the neighboring country. Despite the ongoing peace process, there’s a good chance the localities will retain autonomy to a certain degree, enabling them to set their own rules regarding gaming. Small-scale operations, such as slot parlors, are almost certain to persist whatever happens. In the background, however, the national government is pursuing the establishment of a more formal and regulated gaming sector. At this stage, not much has been decided and there’s no set plan. But the government is quite serious about developing a gaming sector and is undertaking in- depth preliminary research. It is examining different options and looking closely at experiences with gaming elsewhere in the region, specifically in Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam, as well as Singapore and Macau. Myanmar’s gaming initiative is being led by the Ministry of Hotels & Tourism, according to a person with knowledge of the discussions. While the Office of the Attorney General, the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Ministry of Finance and Revenue are all involved, and tax revenue is certainly one of the major factors behind the push for gaming, the primary motivation is boosting tourism. Myanmar looks likely to follow Cambodia and Vietnam in only allowing foreign citizens to gamble at its legal gaming venues. It is also believed that the government will institute a two-tier In some parts of the country, the influence of Thailand and China is stronger than that of Yangon. In Mongla, for example, utilities are supplied by China and the border is controlled by people from the neighboring country. Karen women dressed in traditonal clothing present garlands to Karen National Union soldiers in Karen State, near the Thai-Myanmar border. The KNU have waged a war against the central government since early 1949. The aim of the KNU at first was independence. Since 1976 the armed group has called for a federal system rather than an independent Karen State.