Inside Asian Gaming

IAG OCT 2022年10月 亞博匯 65 特寫 L ong considered a pipe dream, the narrative around a legalized casino industry in Thailand is shifting. In late July, a parliamentary committee formed last year to study the feasibility of opening Thailand’s first legal casinos submitted its findings to the government, recommending the development of up to five casino resorts across the country in major population and tourist bases such as Bangkok, Pattaya and Phuket. Aimed at boosting tourism in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic while stemming the outflow of tax revenue from local players gambling elsewhere, the committee has also proposed a tax rate of at least 30% on gaming revenues, as well as minimum age and earnings requirements and potential investment formats – presumably with a view to attracting international IR expertise. That’s quite a contrast from just nine months ago when experts almost unanimously expressed pessimism over the prospect of Thailand being able to make its casino dream a reality. “I’mfairly cynical,” one highly experienced commentator told InsideAsianGaming inFebruary. “I just can’t see them achieving what they need to achieve. Too many snouts in the trough, too many vested interests.” 在 泰國打造合法博彩 業曾一度被認為是 空談。但目前，圍 繞著該國博彩業合 法化的敘事正在發 生變化。 該國於去年成立的議會委員會對泰 國開設首批合法賭場的可行性進行了調 研，並在7月下旬向政府提交了調查結 果，建議在曼谷、芭堤雅、布吉島等主 要人口和旅遊基地發展至多五個綜合度 假村。 並且針對促進疫情後旅遊業的發 展，同時阻止當地玩家前往其他國家賭 博令稅收外流，委員會同時建議對博彩 收入徵收至少30%的稅率，對進入賭場 人士作出年齡限制及規定了潛在的投資 形式（這點大概率是為了吸引國際IR專 業人士 ）。 此舉與九個月之前的情勢形成鮮明 對比。當時，專家幾乎一致不看好泰國 允許賭場合法化的可能性。 今年2月，一位年資頗深的行業評 論員在接受本刊採訪時表示：「我對此 頗為嗤之以鼻。我不看好他們實現既定 目標的能力。有太多人想要從中分一杯 羹，太多的既得利益者。」 就在該委員會提交報告不久之後， 另一項不太可能獲得通過的法案——醫 療和工業用大麻合法化，獲得通過正式 成為法律。如今的問題似乎已經不是泰 國會否將賭場合法化，而是何時將迎來 合法賭場。