Thailand Can Lift Tourism Revenue by Legalizing Casinos, Study Says
- Lawmakers panel backs plan to legalize casinos with safeguards
- Entertainment complexes can generate $12 billion in tourism
Thailand’s planned entertainment complexes in designated areas will not only house casinos but also five-star hotels.
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Thailand can lift tourism revenue by about $12 billion by legalizing casinos housed within large entertainment complexes and tackle chronic illegal gambling, according to a study.
Average tourist spending may surge 52% to 65,050 baht ($1,790) per trip once the entertainment hubs are built, netting an additional earnings of as much as 448.8 billion baht, according to a study by a panel of lawmakers that’s due to be submitted to parliament on Thursday. The extra income generated can bolster the country’s gross domestic product growth by 1.16 percentage points, it said.