Thailand’s gambling history dates back to the 10th century. Back then, a gambling game known as “bean counting” was making strides in society. In the 15th and 16th centuries, Bangkok was rife with gambling and gambling addiction. King Rama III, in 1830, legalized gambling establishments on the kingdom’s territory, in order to generate additional revenue for the kingdom’s coffers. As Thais already had a love for gambling, the objective of revenue was fulfilled, but many
Thais became highly addicted, leading to many side effects. Interestingly enough, to finance the country’s entry into World War I, a lottery drawing was organized by King Rama V. By the end of 1939, lottery was functionally legal across the country’s territory. The 1940s saw the legalisation of land casinos in Thailand under the helm of the Ministry of Finance. There was one caveat, however, casino operators were only allowed to let in wealthy players, in order to maximise tax revenue. This proved to be a huge failure, as operators disobeyed the government and let in anyone who wanted to play. This resulted in massive addiction problems and a re-ban on all forms of gambling on Thailand soil. The ban remains effective to this day, and given that the country generally has a negative view towards gambling, we don’t see it lifted anytime in the near future.