Gambling has been banned in Thailand for decades. The government wants to legalize casinos to attract more tourists.
The project could also strengthen the tourism sector. The opening of casinos could attract visitors from Macau, which is less than 3 hours by plane from Thailand. In the past, the legalization of gambling in Thailand had already been discussed but no law was established due to public opposition. According to a 2021 opinion poll, 46.51% opposed legalized gaming due to moral and criminal concerns, while 21.25% were in favor.