Casino legalization has been debated for a long time in Thailand. Such legalization would bring abundant opportunities to Thai security players. However, with the proposed bill stalled in the Thai legislature, passage of the bill, and the eventual legalization, is nowhere to be seen in the near future.
A conservative country with a mostly Buddhist population, Thailand bans betting, casino gambling and other related activities. This sets Thailand apart from other countries in Southeast Asia. Neighboring countries like Cambodia, Singapore, the Philippines, Laos and Myanmar have all benefitted from a robust gaming industry.
Seeing their success, successive Thai governments have sought to legalize casinos. In fact, this current administration in March approved a draft bill and sent it to the Thai legislature, where the bill is stalled amid strong opposition to the measure – in early April, some 1,200 people gathered in Bangkok to protest the bill. The Thai Senate subsequently proposed to conduct a thorough review of the bill, a process that can take three months. This will then push the vote back to a much later date, rendering casino legalization in Thailand improbable in the near future.
Would-be benefits to Thai economy
If legalized, casinos are seen to bring several benefits to the Thai economy. These include:
Economic growth and investment: legalizing casinos will help attract foreign investment and generate tax revenue;
Increased tourism: casinos will attract international tourists, particularly high-spending individuals. It should also be noted that having casinos in Thailand will help keep gambling-related money within the country, as Thai citizens who enjoy gambling can use local casinos instead of traveling abroad;
Jobs creation and skills development: Casino legalization will help create jobs in various sectors, including hospitality, security, and customer service. Training and skills development for workers in these sectors can help enhance the capabilities of the Thai workforce.
“It will bring new revenue to the country by boosting tourist spending and bringing in new tourists. Thailand is now the second most visited country in Asia after China. Thailand entertainment complexes are expecting to be sharing the market from Singapore and Macao. Also, the entertainment complexes will create new jobs in security and construction,” said Kasem Sriwong, MD of Sectechnology.
Opportunities for security players
Further, casino legalization can open new opportunities for Thai security players, especially those who are well-versed in casino security systems. According to Sakchai Somsuk, CTO of T-Solutions, these include:
PSIM like PRYSM software to manage all incidents, integrating all physical security and AI at one place to make seamless effectiveness for operator;
VMS like Nx Witness to record, alert and search interested things at the user’s fingertips, like AI search, image search or text to search;
VCA or AI detection like gun/weapon detection, fall detection, fight detection, fire/smoke detection, face recognition, license plate recognition and retail insight intelligence to see all data about visitor.
Sriwong also offered his takes on security solutions needed for casinos, such as:
Video surveillance: 360-degree PTZ cameras for real-time monitoring; AI analytics for detecting suspicious behavior like card counting and theft; and facial recognition to identify banned individuals are needed;
Access control: These include biometric scanners (fingerprint, iris) for restricted areas, RFID cards for employee and VIP access, and turnstiles with metal detectors at entry points;
Emergency response systems: Panic buttons for staff and automated lockdown protocols during threats are essential;
Cybersecurity solutions: Encrypted networks for financial transactions and intrusion detection systems to prevent data breaches are also needed.
“Yes, legalization would bring significant opportunities for Thai security firms. Casinos require advanced security systems for surveillance, access control, and fraud prevention, creating demand for local integrators,” Sriwong said.
Key factors for success
While casino legalization – if and when it happens – would bring opportunities to Thai security players, challenges will arise as well. In particular, there may be intense competition among Thai security companies to secure casino security projects. That said, those with the necessary expertise, financial strength and experience/references may have a better chance of getting the job.
Also, Thailand being part of Asia, having connections is also vital. “In Thailand, only connection makes a business. Depending on how close a relationship you have with the owner of a casino … it would be a key of success,” Somsuk offered his observation.