Phuket delights its guests with a wide variety of entertainment: beach holiday, religious and historical attractions, shopping, nightclubs - and this is not a complete list. However, there are also sophisticated tourists for whom this may not seem enough, and in search of thrills they would like to try their luck in gambling. Then travelers begin to look for gambling houses and casinos on the island and wonder if Thai gambling is different from traditional gambling? We will tell you in our article whether there is a casino in Phuket and how Thai roulette differs from classical roulette.
Gambling in Phuket
In fact, Thai law prohibits gambling, so there are no legal casinos here. But enterprising businessmen still find loopholes and ways to get rich, so tourists have two options for gambling in Thailand: go to the nearest casino on neutral territory or find an underground establishment on the island.
Since the gambling business is a very profitable activity, there are quite a lot of gambling clubs in Phuket that operate unofficially, hiding from law enforcement. Despite the fact that the activities of such establishments are not advertised and getting there is not easy, the majority of visitors are visitors.
You can find out where you can gamble and how to get there from other tourists who have already been there or from hotel staff.
Most underground gambling houses are located in nightclubs or small hotels. Most often, in such establishments you can only play traditional games. card games, including poker. Moreover, poker in Thailand is quite conservative and is no different from the game we are used to.
There are also large underground casinos in Thailand, particularly in Phuket, such as Thung Thong and Tiger Casino, the owners of which were somehow able to establish contacts with the local authorities. Here you can play baccarat, slots, poker, as well as some specific games that are unfamiliar to foreigners (Tai sai, Pok daeng, Sip them, Fun tan) and Thai roulette.
Thai Roulette Rules
Thai roulette is radically different from the game we are used to. If in classic roulette the ball rotates in a circle with black and red numbers and you can bet on both numbers and colors, then in Thai roulette the rules are different.
Firstly, the drum is not a circle, but a large canvas with numbers written in the recesses. The canvas has numbers from 0 to 9 in red and black. A large ball is launched into the drum, which falls into one of the recesses and determines the winning number. The player can bet on one or more numbers; bets on color are not accepted here. For betting, there is a separate table with numbers on which each player places his money. If you guess the number, your bet increases 10 times. If one of your three numbers appears, the bet is multiplied by three. If you bet on 4 numbers and one of them falls out, then the bet is multiplied by 2. Experienced players are advised to first watch the game to notice in which direction the ball falls more often, and then place bets on the corresponding numbers.
Casino in the neutral zone
If you are still wary of visiting an illegal casino and want to have fun and enjoy gambling, you can visit establishments in the neutral zone on the borders with Laos or Cambodia. Many hotels even offer their guests a transfer in this direction.
Since it turns out that large sums of money are passing through the country’s budget, the Thai government is thinking about legalizing gambling following the example of Macau and Singapore. This decision will lead to an increase in the flow of tourists and the creation of new jobs. For now, this idea is only at the project level and it is intended to allow gambling only in Pattaya. But who knows, maybe in a few years you will be able to stay at some large casino hotel on the island of Phuket and enjoy your vacation to the fullest.
Thailand has everything you need for an amazingly pleasant holiday: a great climate, low prices, a huge amount of entertainment, including cheap services for 18+. But, as always, this is not enough for a sophisticated tourist - the question increasingly arises: are there casinos in Thailand? Is gambling allowed in the kingdom? Are card games like poker and blackjack prohibited?
“It would be Las Vegas at bargain prices,” many say about Thailand and the imaginary casino there. The gambling capital of America would suffer terrible losses if gambling were legalized in Thailand.
Prohibit (,) cannot (,) allow: play poker, create a casino in Thailand
As you already understand, casinos, like the entire gambling business, are prohibited in this cozy Asian country. Any fraud associated with attempts to “open a shop” is punishable by exorbitant fines, imprisonment and correctional labor.
By the way, online casinos are treated with the same brush. It is prohibited to create them while on the territory of the kingdom or to visit existing online sites. All major projects, like Vulcan Casino, are blocked. Using a proxy is also punishable by law. Of course, if this is used as a basis for an attempt to build a large online gaming field.
Even home gatherings and poker games for money are something unreal. The Thais have already lost the habit of the cult of gambling; all interest is switched to the development of the tourism industry and fishing. In this regard, it is extremely difficult to find a company willing to play cards. No company - no interest.
There is even an opinion among Thais that if a person starts organizing a “home casino” and gatherings in it, he is preparing to open an underground club, of which, by the way, there are a lot. But more on that later.
It would seem that the massive “cultivation” of go-go bars is the norm, but throwing cards is a terrible violation? Why are such rules defined by law? What to do if you are in Thailand and really want to go to the casino?
Why is casino banned in Thailand?
The basis for the decision to ban lies in the very character of the nation. By nature, Thais are pathologically gambling. During the game, they are able to “lose” theirs and steal from their neighbor. Such observations prompted the authorities to completely eliminate the gambling business. By the way, it was never allowed. Rather, it was not regulated in any way. For gambling addicts, they created a legal state lottery, which pays a considerable bribe to that very state.
A small build allowed Thais to get drunk once or twice. Much more alcohol is consumed during the game than during ordinary, non-gambling, adrenaline-filled gatherings. Drunken companies brought discord into the foundations of society. Crime increased, the growth and development of the common cause - the development of the country - decreased.
As it was written earlier, the ban on the operation of casinos in Thailand is only to the benefit of everyone. Moreover, when local residents have no thoughts of gambling. What can't be said about foreigners...
Casinos in Thailand – can you find them?
Probably no one doubted it. When there is a rule, there are also violations. Of course, the enterprising Thais did not leave the “poor” tourist players without joy. In the same Pattaya, there are more than 20 underground casinos operating illegally. By the way, they are systematically “run out”. But, soon, they will continue to “bring joy” to travelers.
As a rule, such gaming clubs can be found at a popular bar or club, in a secluded room, not accessible to prying eyes.
The cost of entry to such “elite clubs” is quite high by local standards. So, entering a poker tournament will cost $50, playing roulette will cost you to pay for and “eat” the presence of a “club” companion, playing slot machines will cost you the purchase of several expensive cocktails.
Another opportunity to try your luck and test your luck at a casino in Thailand is to go to the neighboring country – Cambodia. This option is the most optimal and, at a minimum, safe. Gambling has been legalized in the neighboring country. All clubs and casinos operate absolutely officially. Transport accessibility is more than developed. The only negative is that upon entry you will have to pay a visa fee of $30, which in the gambling business is considered mere pennies.
To summarize, it should be said that casinos, poker and various slot machines are prohibited in Thailand. Online casinos are also prohibited. It is criminally punishable to organize even “home” gambling.
Visiting underground establishments is an extremely unsafe activity. If you really want to play, go to Cambodia. An excellent alternative is to combine business with pleasure – play and travel.
Gambling in Thailand is strictly prohibited by the state. Citizens of the country can only play the state lottery and some types of betting. This was done because gambling addiction, or, as it is also called, gambling addiction, is the second cause of degradation of local society after drugs.
Lotteries in Thailand
Thais are a gambling people! Since casinos, gaming halls and card games for money are officially prohibited in this country, all kinds of lotteries are extremely popular.
And in the capital, and in large cities, and in small villages, you can see people with large flat boxes under their armpits. These are lottery ticket sellers.
lottery tickets
They ride bicycles or walk, look into all the nooks and crannies and knock on all doors, scurry around restaurants and cafes, offering visitors colored pieces of paper laid out on wooden trays. Thais believe that any business that happens at a set table is doomed to success, so they are happy to buy lottery tickets while eating.
offering lottery tickets at lunch
Lottery tickets are also sold at stationary points.
selling lottery tickets in Thailand
There are many lotteries in Thailand, and they all have their own following. They have been officially held since 1874. Winnings are, of course, subject to taxation. The Thailand Government Lottery is considered the oldest and most popular lottery in the country. Tickets for this lottery must have a watermark and are always printed on the same paper.
selling lottery tickets on the street
Thais are very passionate about everything. And cockfighting is no less popular with them than, say, cards or other types of gambling.
Cockfighting in Thailand
In Thailand, one of the most famous entertainments is cockfighting, which has become a tradition and is considered a powerful and exciting spectacle. During fights, gambling Thais place big bets.
cockfighting in Thailand
In cockfighting, not ordinary domestic roosters are used, but fighting roosters that have developed fighting qualities. A fighting cock requires a certain diet, constant repeated training and constant fighting.
raising fighting cocks
They look like a warrior in war paint. Fighting roosters are hardy, overly aggressive, they have a fast reaction speed, and also have tall, strong legs. The training period is up to 2 years, with periodic appearances in the arena.
raising fighting cocks
The defeated bird after the fight is a very pitiful sight. However, the same can be said about the winner, although he has a much greater chance of survival. You need to know what to do with a rooster after a fight - how to treat, treat wounds, bandage, sometimes even perform resuscitation in field conditions. The most vulnerable place is the throat. After the fight it must be washed. If this procedure is not done in time, the rooster may suffocate. This is done with a long feather, which, like a ramrod from a barrel, removes all excess from the throat. In Thailand, there is even an entire industry that works exclusively to supply such events with everything necessary - medicines, ointments, vitamins. And all this is in great demand.
In the ring, the proud bird behaves as its instincts tell it. The mortality rate of roosters, unfortunately, is quite high. But even a defeated fighter looks much nicer here than on a plate at a festive dinner.
By the way, despite the ban on gambling by the government and police raids do not reduce the number of gamblers - Thais play for closed doors and in backyards. This is the picture I came across in a nook on the way up Buddha Hill in Pattaya...
gambling in Thailand
Thailand-Cambodia-Laos: Gambling zones and underground casinos
South Asian countries are a land of amazing beauty in terms of flora and fauna, a world of people with a way of life that is mysterious to Europeans. Very often to describe this amazing world, appearing before the gaze of tourists, they use the word “exotic”. Exoticism can be found here in literally everything: from the life of local residents to their worldview... These include white sand beaches on the islands; orchids and other all kinds of flowers; monkeys walking freely through the streets of small towns; Buddhist temples and monasteries; palm trees, jungle; dangerous insects and snakes; crocodile and snake farms; elephant nurseries; coconuts, bananas, mangoes, durians and other various unusual fruits; vibrant nightlife...
Thailand
The entertainment industry here is no less exotic than everything around it. This is a country with a developed sex and show industry: here you can visit pussy shows (where girls show extraordinary body capabilities female body, surprising visitors by opening bottles, throwing darts, etc., with those parts of the body that are intended for something completely different), boy shows (where young guys play golf, bang on drums, doing things that were not meant to be done at all), gay shows, lesbian shows, sex shows, you can visit massage parlors with additional erotic services, in specialized bars, both men and women can choose a companion for a pleasant pastime. In general, for money you can make all your erotic and sexual fantasies come true.
But with the gambling business, things are more complicated. Even with a significant amount of money, it is difficult to find where to play. Gambling is prohibited in Thailand. Perhaps this is due to the excessive gambling of Asians - according to research in Thailand alone, 70 percent of the population is a gambler and plays. Where and how? Thailand's gambling industry is integrally linked to the bordering countries of Cambodia and Laos, where gambling is also prohibited, but includes legal casinos and slot machine halls located in gambling zones on the border with Thailand.
Gambling zone Thailand-Cambodia
“Casinos in the cities of Thailand are not the place” - this is what the king decided. Since this decision was made, no casino can legally exist in Thailand, but they can be located in neutral border zones, i.e. on the borders with Cambodia and Laos. In that small area where you find yourself when you have crossed the border of one country, but have not yet gone through customs in another country. Gambling Thais, Cambodians and Laotians, as well as the Chinese, flock here.
The most exciting and developed gambling area is the area near the city of Poi-Pet. You can get here by car (about 4 hours by bus from Bangkok) or on foot (which some Thais prefer) from the nearest town. Usually, it is through this gambling zone that the route of tourists who want to enjoy amazing beauties Angor Wat is one of the largest ancient temple complexes on our planet, located in the jungle near the Cambodian town of Siem Reap. Buses arrive at the customs post and disembark travelers. The picture that appears before your eyes can leave few people indifferent. Those tourists who visited the border shared their extraordinary impressions: “Where the border begins, civilized life ends, the road ends, and there is a feeling that the sun is fading.” Before the trip, this seemed like an exaggeration, but when we left the bus, there was no longer a truly normal road, and we were plunged into dust and poverty. Crowds of hungry and dirty children with unhappy eyes rushed to our feet, begging for something. Rickshaws in dirty gray clothes through clouds of dust dragged heavy loads on wooden carts - bags, sacks, various goods. Many people, for a reasonable fee, were ready to help fill out documents and accompany us, so that, as they explained, we would cross the border safe and sound. After what I saw, a feeling of apprehension appeared: “What will happen when we go through customs? Perhaps we really need a guide to make the journey safe?” But we decided to do everything ourselves, and then act according to the circumstances.
After overcoming the checkpoint, we saw beautiful arch with the inscription “Kingdom of Cambodia”, and the number of destitute and beggars has sharply decreased, leaving only dust and rickshaws dragging their burden from one part of the neutral zone to another and back. Behind this arch is the duty-free zone, known throughout the world as “duty free”. Here she presents a market with trays with a whole kaleidoscope of goods, souvenirs and cigarettes at low prices. Boutiques and shops more familiar to us, as it later turned out, are located in the casino. This is where we rushed at our own peril and risk. What kind of casinos can there be in the midst of such poverty and misery? Dilapidated buffet tables, covered with tablecloths worn to holes, smelling of the smoke of cheap cigarettes and human suffering, dirty people, with hands sticky with sweat and faces tormented by pain and bitterness, not paying attention to the stench, anxiously fingering chewed yellow cards...
Imagine our surprise when, upon entering the first casino we came across, a completely different stunning picture opened up! Everything sparkles and shines, modern chic design and interior. At the entrance we were greeted by a smiling hostess, who politely offered in English to become our guide in the world of entertainment and pleasure, escorting us to the reception and through a security post with metal detectors. In the huge hall there is a huge number of imported expensive slot machines, such world brands as Williams, Konami, Aristocrat, connected to various jackpot systems, electronic and electronic-mechanical roulettes. There are about 50 gaming tables in the casino hall, from behind which cries of joy and disappointment can be heard...
In total, in the neutral border zone, which is a small area about two kilometers long, there were 7 casinos: “Holiday Palace”, “Holiday Poipet”, “Star Vegas International Resort”, “ Princess Crown", "Golden Crown", "Tropicana" and "Grand Diamond City". Not every Moscow casino could boast such an abundance of slot machines and gaming tables, as well as service and a variety of games. The border casinos were reminiscent of Las Vegas: Large spaces, noise and fun all around, an atmosphere of celebration and excitement that awaits you wherever you are inside the complex. Almost every casino has its own hotel, its own boutiques, its own restaurants, as well as additional services such as massage, swimming pool and even golf courses. Players are provided with a free buffet table, cigarettes and drinks. Almost every casino has an abundance of various imported slot machines and jackpots, you can also find pushers, electronic racing, video baccarat (electronic baccarat, where the main game is played on a large plasma panel, and players place bets on electronic boards) and even robotic baccarat (players place bets on electronic scoreboards, and under the glass dome, cards are dealt out and turned over by a giant mechanical arm). Each gambling house has more than 50 gaming tables offering a variety of games, not just card games. The most a large number of gaming tables with baccarat, the most popular game among Asians, and its various varieties, a smaller number of gaming tables for playing poker, and very few tables for playing blackjack, which is popular in the West.
When it comes to playing poker, it is very conservative in many local casinos. Except for bets on the bonus, everything else is presented in its original form - oasis poker without exchanging cards. I got the impression that people here don’t even know about the number of poker varieties and rules that are presented in European countries. Or maybe they just don’t want to know. But, nevertheless, people sit and play.
Finding a blackjack table was less of a problem than playing the game. After ten minutes of tiring stay behind empty table and calling the manager, we were invited to play other games, and our refusal of such a tempting offer led to the manager nervously rushing around the hall and a long wait for the dealer, but the table was still opened.
Baccarat. To say that Asians love baccarat is an understatement. They adore her. The casino has the largest number of baccarat tables and only a small number of them are empty. They play it cheerfully and eccentrically, crushing and scattering the cards.
In addition to these popular games, you can find roulette, craps, wheel of fortune, pai gow, three-card poker, Tai sai (Tai sai is a game in which bets are placed on a field with special markings on combinations on three dice), Pok daeng (Thai game created on the basis of poker, players are dealt 2 cards), Sip them (another variation of the game created on the basis of poker, players are dealt 3 cards), Tai sai (Sic Bo), Fun tan (a game in which the field has special markings bets are placed on the number of “beads” or pebbles that will remain in the last slide after the croupier randomly pours out an indefinite number of “beads” or pebbles and breaks them into slides of four pieces) and Fun Tan dice (a game in which on a special field, bets are placed on combinations on several dice).
Most of these games are not clear and difficult for Europeans. Casino staff, at the client’s request, can help understand the rules of the games, but mastering such a number of games requires enough time. But things are not going well with him at the border. If you're a little late, you'll have to spend the whole night here, because... unlike casinos, which are open 24 hours a day, border checkpoints are open from 9:00 to 17:00.
Crossing the gambling zone and customs, you find yourself on the territory of the Kingdom of Cambodia and again plunge into the world of poverty, the world of workers and peasants. When we found ourselves on the territory of this kingdom, as funny as it was, the sun actually dimmed and a heavy downpour began...
Gambling zones Thailand-Laos
The main checkpoint between Thailand and Laos is located quite a distance from the main tourist cities of Thailand in the suburbs of the small town of Nong Khai, but not so far from Vientiane, the capital of Laos. Those wishing to get to the Lao People's Democratic Republic need to travel a sufficient distance by road (about 10 hours by bus from Bangkok), so many prefer to go there by plane, although it is more expensive, but much faster. It’s certainly worth visiting Laos! The country, which has flora and fauna similar to Thailand, is also exotic because it is one of the last strongholds of communism. Here on the streets you can still see pioneers in red ties, red “hammer and sickle” flags, which are still dear to our hearts. But, despite the things that are familiar to us, communism here is by no means the same as it was here. It is worth saying that Laos, compared to surrounding countries, has the largest number of Buddhist monks and at the same time, Laos is part of the famous opium Golden Triangle.
In order to visit the gambling zone and gain unexpected impressions, we decided to go by bus. This is how most locals get here. Cheap and cheerful.
The landscape border of Thailand and Laos is the famous Mekong River; it is this river that travelers need to cross along the Friendship Bridge, which is located in the neutral zone, between the two borders and connects the countries. On the Thai side, at the entrance to the checkpoint there is a warning sign in English and Thai: “Attention! Crossing the Kingdom's borders to gamble may pose risks to your life and property." The presence of this inscription suggested the presence of a gambling zone of the same scale, or even larger, between Thailand and Laos. But, alas...
To our disappointment, perhaps due to its considerable remoteness, there was only one gambling establishment in this gambling zone - a slot machine hall. At 10:00 the doors of a place called Slot Hall were still, or perhaps already, closed. It was not possible to find out from the locals when the lonely slot machine hall was open, and waiting for it to open in the neutral zone could become a rather long and boring task, because there was nothing else to do there other than shopping. Having stayed there for three hours and not having eaten much, we left the gambling zone, deciding to return from Laos to Thailand by plane, as most tourists do, who are not tempted by visiting a lonely slot machine hall and a “durty free” zone coupled with a grueling bus ride .
Already on board the airliner, passing the time by leafing through the suggested magazines, we came across an advertisement for a casino. It turned out that there is another gambling zone on the border with Laos! It opened recently and is located between the city of Mukdahan on the Thai side and the city of Savannakhet on the Laos side. From the glossy pages, this gambling zone looked much more tempting than the one we visited. There is a hotel-casino "Savan Vegas", the area of the complex is about 5000 square meters. m., and players can enjoy 300 slot machines, 80 gaming tables, several bars and restaurants, a spa, boutiques and the largest swimming pool in Laos.
Cock-fights
The famous cockfights have long been the hallmark of Asian countries in the world of gambling. The traditions of this sport have developed over the centuries, as has the love for them on the part of gamblers. And if the majority of Europeans who come to Thailand have always treated cockfighting with coldness and caution, because this is far from a humane form of business and sport in relation to birds, then the locals have always loved this fun.
Thai cockfighting is considered (unlike Thai boxing) the most peaceful compared to other countries. Since here the birds are not dressed in metal armor with spikes in order to increase the spectacle of the battle. But the king of Thailand still considered this a rather cruel sport and banned them by law. The owners of fighting cocks did not grieve for a long time and began to conduct fights in secret. If you ask local residents about cockfighting, then usually the smile that appears for a moment acquires a hint of bitterness after a few seconds - well, there are no more of them, the famous Thai cockfights... Or rather, they exist, but not for everyone. Few now know where and when. As we managed to find out, cockfights take place on weekends and only for our own people, usually in the countryside, starting in the evening and ending at sunset. There are entire schools of fighting cocks. A good bird costs a lot of money and requires special care and daily training.
In Cambodia, the situation with cockfighting is similar. As it turned out, they were legal quite recently, just like casinos. Now you won’t find them during the day with fire. The Cambodian king has joined animal rights activists. Local residents are afraid of cockfights, even more afraid than in Thailand. We spent one day searching for them. And what? Having visited with a local English-speaking guide in a tuk-tuk all the places familiar to him in Sim Reap and its suburbs, where until recently aggressive birds fought frantically in the rings to the death, we were never able to see the action with our own eyes, we found only desolation. And the local villagers denied it in every possible way when they learned of our interest: “What other cockfights? Yes, they were here once, but not now. Look elsewhere." And they asked with caution whether we knew what the risk was for us to participate in prohibited gambling. And some shook their heads and warned that today this business is dangerous. It is dangerous because according to the laws of Cambodia, as well as the laws of Thailand, persons participating in gambling are subject to a large fine by local standards, or imprisonment from 1 week to 1 month. In case of relapse, the fine increases, as does the possible term of imprisonment, and the organizer can receive not only a large fine, but also imprisonment for up to 15 years. In this case, all money belonging to the organizer, intermediary and players is confiscated by the competent authorities. Permission to conduct gambling and sell gaming equipment can only be given by the government.
Underground casinos in Thailand
It is difficult to find enough time and money to travel to gambling zones, and if you become a member of the secret society of cockfighting participants, it is unlikely that you can satisfy all your gambling desires only by betting on feathered athletes, and then only on weekends. As it turned out, enterprising and wealthy Thais found a way out of this current situation. difficult situation, even despite the rigidity of the legislation and the severity of the subsequent punishment. After staying in Thailand for about a month, we finally found a guide to the secret world of casinos. It turned out that there are at least five underground casinos operating in Bangkok, and these are only those gambling houses that our Thai friends know about. We managed to get into one of them. As it turned out, this is impossible to do without an accompanying person, because you must first arrange a meeting, and new guests must be accompanied by a regular player. We were warned in advance that if the police showed up, all the money we had on us would be confiscated. Then we went by car on a journey through the night Bangkok, winding through various streets, alleys and courtyards. A few minutes after stopping at the appointed place, a man on a motorbike drove up to us, looked around at those present, made sure that no other cars were following us, and radioed something. After that we had to follow him in our car through a maze of courtyards.
When several more people with walkie-talkies ran out of the darkness, it became clear that we had arrived. We were shown a parking spot. Next, the attendant introduced us, explaining that we were his guests from Russia. We proceeded to the courtyard of a private residential building, where the usual evening and night life was seething. home life Thais: the table had not yet been cleared after dinner, chickens were running around the yard, and the residents were getting ready for bed. There was a narrow passage between the house and the extension, into which we were asked to squeeze through. In the courtyard on the street there was something resembling a cafe or bar, there were tables, a TV was on, people were discussing something over a cup of tea. There were also two video betting slot machines that would have been more appropriate to be in a gambling museum than in a casino. We were offered to sit down and drink tea or juice at the establishment's expense. A man approached, apparently the manager. He asked our escort if everything was okay, after which he asked us about our stay in Thailand and about Russia. The conversation was summed up by the question of whether we wanted to play. Having received a positive response, he conducted small room, filled with noise and people, where it was almost impossible to squeeze between six tables - 5 for baccarat and 1 for poker. It was more or less free near the booth with a window, which turned out to be a cash register. At the cash desk we were asked to exchange baht (the local currency) for chips, or rather crybabies, which are used here for the game. They agreed to exchange dollars for us reluctantly and at an unfavorable rate. In order to participate in the game, we had to wait for some time until seats at the baccarat table became available; there was a queue near the poker table. The minimum bet for baccarat is 1 bet, equal to 1000 baht. As it turned out, the establishment was not limited to this small room - on the other side of the courtyard there was another room with three baccarat tables, the rates were higher there, and behind the wall of the first room there was a VIP, there were 5 baccarat tables and much more free. As the manager explained, you can play VIP if you buy 30,000 baht worth of crybabies. In the morning, having played enough baccarat in the company of local gamblers, we went to the hotel.
Our Thai friend suggested organizing a trip to the suburbs of Bangkok this coming weekend and trying to get to the cockfights, but, unfortunately, a day later we already had to return to Russia.
Thus ended our acquaintance with the gambling business in Thailand. Or maybe it has just begun.
Natalya Nechistyak
26.06.09
You can discuss casinos in Thailand, Laos, and Cambodia with colleagues on the forum: [
Is there a ban on casinos in Thailand and how can you play there?
Online casinos can never compare with live casinos in terms of atmosphere. Every gamer understands this. And, going on vacation abroad, many of us are interested in the opportunity to cross the threshold of a real gambling establishment. When I was planning my vacation last summer, I was wondering if there was a ban on casinos in Thailand. I'll share the information I found.
The gambling business in Thailand is strictly controlled. The state lottery is allowed, but you can’t play cards for money even at home with your friends. For this, the person in whose house the games were held may receive a fine if someone snitches. Friendly get-togethers are not actually regulated until they turn into a self-made gaming establishment, but this makes it possible to show how strict everything is with the gambling business there.
The country is interesting and attractive. Vacations are relatively inexpensive. But to the questions about whether there is a ban on casinos in Thailand, the answer will be unequivocal and clear - yes. There are no loopholes or separate areas where you can open a casino. It is also not possible to register an online domain in Thailand.
Determining the legality of land-based casinos in Thailand
Thais regularly try to open gaming establishments and revise strict laws regarding gaming activities in their country. But all these attempts lead to nothing. Here you have a state lottery, but for other gambling games you can go to neighboring countries, where this is not regulated in any way. There will definitely be underground casinos, but for a visitor they can turn out to be a big deal. The Thais have this national pastime: they scam tourists first for money and then for problems.
Are you going on vacation and wondering if there is some kind of ban on casinos in Thailand? Yes, on the ground. There is no need to fall for underground establishments; they can be shut down at any moment. The main problems will be with the institution; this will not result in any time limit for the player. But you can get on the blacklist in such a way that you will not be allowed into Thailand again. The police there work clearly in this regard and see everything. Thai gambling addicts usually travel to Cambodia to spend their money at live casinos, not just online gaming clubs.
How to play in a casino in Thailand if you really want to
The answer to the question of whether there is a ban on casinos in Thailand is clearly positive. But a gambler is on vacation, if he doesn’t find something else to do in a foreign and interesting country, there is always something to do on your own computer. No one forbids playing online in regular gaming clubs. Such online casinos are usually registered in states where the gaming business is permitted. The Thai ban only applies to gaming establishments on their territory. So, while on vacation, you can easily open the website of any online casino from your laptop or tablet, and then play as usual, without worrying about the consequences.
If you've been to Thailand and know any subtleties that I missed, be sure to tell us about them in the comments below! Share your experience and ask your questions!
text: Vladimir Kalinin
