The government had initially decided to slap a 90-day ban on both casinos in December 2023 but has delayed the suspension until the end of 2024 as the state government awaits the outcome of a NSW inquiry. The Queensland government fined the Star in Brisbane and the Gold Coast $100 million in 2022 after a review found the casinos had "major failings" in anti-money laundering attempts and responsible gaming efforts. Gaming Minister David Harris told a budget estimates hearing on Friday the government had looked at a "range of contingencies" for the casino, including in the event that The Star collapsed financially.
(Reporting by Chayut Setboonsarng and Panarat Thepgumpanat; Editing by Martin Petty) Paetongtarn's ruling Pheu Thai Party has argued Thailand has fallen behind its neighbours in the gaming industry. Her father Thaksin is widely seen as a major force behind her government and in a dinner speech last month backed the casino plan, noting the potential benefits from regulating and taxing online gambling and formalising the larger underground economy.
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Happyluke kindly take a look at our webpage. In Southeast Asia, Cambodia, Singapore, Myanmar and the Philippines have legalised casinos, some of which are located on the other side of Thailand's borders, catering overwhelmingly to Thai and Chinese customers, many on weekend junkets. BANGKOK, Sept 5 (Reuters) - Thailand's new government will move ahead with plans to introduce casinos after a public hearing showed strong support to create a big entertainment complex offering gambling, a senior official said on Thursday. The conclusion of a public hearing conducted online over a bill to establish a "mega entertainment complex" housing a casino showed 80% of participants agreed with the plan, Deputy Finance Minister Julapun Amornvivat said.
Several Thai governments have pushed to legalise gambling before to try to boost jobs and state revenues and draw more foreign tourists, but each attempt met pushback from conservatives in the Buddhist majority country. Her ally and predecessor, Srettha Thavisin, was the main proponent of the latest casino push but was removed from office by a court decision last month. One of its first advocates was influential billionaire former premier Thaksin Shinawatra, whose youngest daughter Paetongtarn Shinawatra was sworn in as prime minister last month.