The Playing Cards Act is a law in Thailand that prohibits individuals from owning more than 120 playing cards that have not been registered by the Excise Department.[1] The current law was passed in 1943, superseding previous acts. The Playing Cards Acts are part of Thailand's strict anti-gambling laws dating back to 1935.[2] To ensure legal possession of playing cards, under Section 12 of the law, a competent official has the power to enter anywhere between sunrise and sunset to conduct a search.[3]
Playing Cards Factory[edit]
Is Sports Betting Legal In Thailand
- Gambling in Thailand Apart from the government-supported National Lottery and betting on horses at the racetracks, gambling is largely illegal in Thailand. There no casinos in Thailand, although gambling dens can be found throughout the country, and online betting does occur.
- Whereas Singapore and The Philippines have lax gambling laws, Thailand has some of the strictest gambling laws in Southeast Asia. Betting on horse racing and the government-sponsored lottery are the only two forms of legal gambling in the country. However, despite the rules, illegal casinos are widespread and very popular in Thailand.
Despite strict laws governing playing cards, Thailand has a long history of card playing.[4] To meet the demand for cards and to control their availability, under the aegis of the Excise Department of the Thai Finance Ministry, a state enterprise called the Playing Cards Factory was authorised in 1938.[5] The factory produces over 400,000 decks of cards per month.[6] A factory-produced brochure shows the card brands manufactured by the factory.[7] The Playing Cards Factory also serves as a printer for the Thai government.[8]
Thailand is cracking down on online gambling websites. Internet providers will have 15 days to block 1,202 gambling websites before charges are pressed for violating Thailand's Computer Crime Act. Although gambling is technically illegal in Thailand, underground and online gambling thrives in pockets of the country. Brick and Mortar Gambling Law in Thailand Our National Lottery is the only form of legal gambling that most people in Thailand have access to. This began in 1974. Today drawings are held on first and sixteenth day of every month.
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^'PLAYING CARDS ACT, B.E. 2486 (1943) (unofficial translation)'(PDF). Thai Law Forum. Retrieved 2016-02-04.
- ^'Thai police arrest elderly bridge players in Pattaya'. BBC News. Retrieved 2016-02-04.
- ^'WAGERING YOUR FREEDOM; Part three'. Bangkok Post (Spectrum). 2013-11-03. Retrieved 29 July 2017.
- ^Wintle, Simon. 'Playing Cards in Thailand'. The World of Playing Cards. Retrieved 29 July 2017.
- ^'About Us: History'. Playingcard Factory (Thailand). Retrieved 29 July 2017.
- ^Wintle, Simon. 'Thai Playing Cards Manufacturing Factory'. The World of Playing Cards. Retrieved 29 July 2017.
- ^'Playing Card Brochure'(PDF). Playingcard Factory (Thailand). Retrieved 29 July 2017.
- ^'Vision-Mission'. Playingcard Factory (Thailand). Retrieved 29 July 2017.
Thailand has some of the strictest gambling laws in the world. The government here bans most forms of traditional gambling. Despite the strict regulations, rates of gambling in Thailand are growing.
It's surprising news for the country's lawmakers. Now is the perfect time to look at Thailand's set of gambling laws and talk about how many individuals here are gambling every year. Let's get started!
Current Gambling Laws in Thailand
Gambling has taken place in Thailand for centuries. For more than 80 years, however, the government has taken a very anti-gambling stance.
Gambling Law In Thailand Currency
Today, the main piece of legislation that regulates the country's gambling industry is the Gambling Act of 1935. This set of laws includes a Royal Decree that essentially claims all forms of gambling are banned. The Playing Cards Act of 1943 and the Anti-Money Laundering Act of 1999 added even more restrictions to the gambling industry here.
Anyone caught gambling faces at least a 1,000 baht fine and up to one year in prison. Those found operating an illegal gambling venue could face a more substantial punishment.
Thailand does, however, allow certain forms of gambling to take place.
A government-operated lottery is available twice a month. Horse race wagering is legal, as well. Perhaps the most popular form of gambling in Thailand is betting on Muay Thai fights. Attendees to these fights can wager on the bout outcomes without fear of punishment by the police.
Despite the harsh laws against gambling in Thailand, more locals are choosing to wager every single month. A new study shows that rates of gambling are now extremely high here.
Rates of Gambling in Thailand Are Growing
No one knew how effective the Thai government's ban on gambling was until recently. Thailand's Center for Gambling Studies and Center for Social and Business Development released a study report that claims 57% of the adult population here has gambled during the past year.
Forty-four thousand fifty individuals between the ages of 15 and overtook part in this study. This year's findings mark an increase from a similar study in 2017, which found that 54.2% of Thai's had gambled over the previous year. Expanding this study across the entire population shows that some 30 million individuals in Thailand gamble annually.
Fortunately, most individuals here claim to only gamble through the government-run lottery. Underground, illegal lotteries are the second most form of gambling in Thailand. 3.5 million individuals here claimed to have made wagers on sports.
Legal lottery gambling is expected to bring in over 150.5 billion Baht this year. It's an extremely lucrative industry for the country and one that the government is unlikely to ban anytime soon. Research shows that this legal form of gambling acts as a gateway to illegal gaming activities. It wouldn't be a major surprise to see lawmakers set new lottery restrictions, though.
Gambling Law In Thailand Currency
Today, the main piece of legislation that regulates the country's gambling industry is the Gambling Act of 1935. This set of laws includes a Royal Decree that essentially claims all forms of gambling are banned. The Playing Cards Act of 1943 and the Anti-Money Laundering Act of 1999 added even more restrictions to the gambling industry here.
Anyone caught gambling faces at least a 1,000 baht fine and up to one year in prison. Those found operating an illegal gambling venue could face a more substantial punishment.
Thailand does, however, allow certain forms of gambling to take place.
A government-operated lottery is available twice a month. Horse race wagering is legal, as well. Perhaps the most popular form of gambling in Thailand is betting on Muay Thai fights. Attendees to these fights can wager on the bout outcomes without fear of punishment by the police.
Despite the harsh laws against gambling in Thailand, more locals are choosing to wager every single month. A new study shows that rates of gambling are now extremely high here.
Rates of Gambling in Thailand Are Growing
No one knew how effective the Thai government's ban on gambling was until recently. Thailand's Center for Gambling Studies and Center for Social and Business Development released a study report that claims 57% of the adult population here has gambled during the past year.
Forty-four thousand fifty individuals between the ages of 15 and overtook part in this study. This year's findings mark an increase from a similar study in 2017, which found that 54.2% of Thai's had gambled over the previous year. Expanding this study across the entire population shows that some 30 million individuals in Thailand gamble annually.
Fortunately, most individuals here claim to only gamble through the government-run lottery. Underground, illegal lotteries are the second most form of gambling in Thailand. 3.5 million individuals here claimed to have made wagers on sports.
Legal lottery gambling is expected to bring in over 150.5 billion Baht this year. It's an extremely lucrative industry for the country and one that the government is unlikely to ban anytime soon. Research shows that this legal form of gambling acts as a gateway to illegal gaming activities. It wouldn't be a major surprise to see lawmakers set new lottery restrictions, though.
Online Gambling Isn't Gaining Traction in Thailand
It's surprising to some that illegal land-based gambling is growing more popular in Thailand. It's also interesting to find that online gambling still isn't attracting Thai players. The gambling ban certainly applies to online gambling. Many are still able to make wagers through gambling sites in Europe using VPNs to hide their identities and location.
Online gambling isn't popular in this country. According to the new study, only 1.6% of those polled claimed to have gambled online. Baccarat is the most popular online gambling game. Only a small number of individuals here wagered on sports over the internet.
This report also claims that half of all gamblers here started by the time they were 20. One individual claimed that he began to wagering at age seven. More than 200,000 individuals in this country are gambling addicts.
Gambling in Thailand is popular, yet most of it is done legally. Not long ago, Cambodia began cracking down on its gambling industry. Hopefully, lawmakers in Thailand choose to keep the legal gambling options up and running.
Will Thailand's government ever choose to legalize casino gambling and sports betting? Let us know what you think in the comments section below!
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