Thailand took the first step toward legalizing casinos, as the government looks to attract high-spending tourists to support Southeast Asia’s second-largest economy while also checking revenue leak from illegal gambling.
The nation’s 500-member House of Representatives Thursday voted in favor of a study by a panel of lawmakers to allow casinos to be housed within large entertainment complexes. A total of 253 out of 257 lawmakers present voted in favor of the plan.
The lower house also gave initial nod this week to a clutch of draft bills that seek to reform the alcohol industry, including a proposal to scrap a 52-year-old rule that bans liquor sale between 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. Provincial officials may still be able to impose some kind of curbs on alcohol sale.