Inside Asian Gaming

IAG MAR 2022年3月 亞博匯 35 封面故事 Although far removed from the glitzy casino floors of Asia’s integrated resorts, these often elaborate setups have been estimated to generate more than US$5.5 billion in revenue annually and are alleged to operate under the protection of authorities, who are paid substantial monthly protection fees to provide tip-offs whenever a raid is imminent. While any moves to create a regulated casino industry may meet with substantial resistance from those who profit from the current status quo, the obstacles are not insurmountable. “Thailand is a very ‘top down’ country, so if the King says ‘This is going to happen and everyone must fall in line,’ then it can happen, although clearly there would be a lot of people opposed to having a legal casino,” one source explains. “At the same time, the people running the underground While any moves to create a regulated casino industry may meet with substantial resistance from those who profit from the current status quo, the obstacles are not insurmountable. 儘管怎樣建立一個受監管的博彩業都可能遭 到目前既得利益者的強烈抵制，但這些障礙 並非不可解決。 支持泰國賭場博彩合法化的人士提 出了一些有力的論據，部分原因是新冠疫 情重創旅遊業。泰國經濟和社會發展委員 會辦公室表示，2020年旅遊業貢獻了泰 國GDP約20%左右，自疫情爆發以來， 泰國政府已借貸約1.5萬億泰銖（464億 美元），將公共債務總額推至逾9.6萬億 泰銖，即21年來的最高位，（2970 億美 元），相當於GDP的58.3%。 「他們需要一些東西令泰國更具競 爭力。」一位消息人士說。 與印尼及日本等地相比，在泰國， 除了強大的佛教會之外，反對賭場的聲 音並不那麼強烈。儘管有民意調查顯