Prasert Jantararuangtong, the Minister of Digital Economy and Society (DES) in Thailand, stated that the cabinet has in principle approved the legal framework proposed by the DES to manage online gambling issues, which was passed in the cabinet meeting on Monday.
The proposal includes first amending the secondary laws established by the minister, then addressing the major legal amendments that require parliamentary approval.
Prasert noted that amending the secondary laws will require close cooperation between the DES, the Ministry of Interior, and the State Council, and the entire process is expected to take about a month. He stated, "The goal is to bring underground gambling activities into a legal framework and ensure they are properly taxed."
Prasert further mentioned that the DES has been discussing this issue with the Ministry of Interior for several months. Legalizing the underground economy to increase national revenue is an important policy of the government.
He pointed out that online football betting is very popular in Thailand, and in the future, other forms of online gambling, such as traditional sports (like cockfighting) or digital gambling, will also be considered.
When asked if these three departments alone could complete the related work, Prasert responded that if necessary, other agencies would be involved.
Moreover, once approved, each agency will carry out specific actions according to their responsibilities, including holding public hearings.
Regarding why such an important topic was not officially announced by the government or the minister but was first disclosed by former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, Prasert explained that the matter was only briefly discussed at Monday's cabinet meeting.
However, public attention was mainly focused on the cabinet's principled approval of the "Comprehensive Entertainment Center Act."
Thaksin had previously announced plans to legalize online gambling during his campaign for a candidate of the Pheu Thai Party in Chiang Rai for the position of chief of the provincial administrative organization.
When asked about the future management of online gambling, whether it will be handled by the government or the private sector, Prasert said that it has not been determined yet, and the specific management method will depend on the details of the secondary laws.
The government hopes to regulate the online gambling industry through this initiative, bring it into a legal framework, generate more tax revenue for the country, and provide a more transparent and regulated gambling environment for the public.
