Appointed Thailand’s new Prime Minister on September 5, Anutin Charnvirakul didn’t waste time officially killing off hopes of integrated resort casinos (IRCs) and now he’s moved fast to consign another gambling vertical to the scrapheap.
According to Asia Gaming Brief, PM Anutin in his dual Minister of the Interior role signed off an order this week reinstating the Thailand-wide ban on poker games, tournaments, events, or linked marketing activities with immediate effect.
gambling, despite being promoted as a sport”
“Poker games are also considered a form of gambling, despite being promoted as a sport,” Anutin stated in the new Interior Ministry Order No. 2253/2568.
Anutin had already publicly mulled nixing the Sports Authority of Thailand’s formal approval of poker as a sport in September. He said back then that in his previous term as interior minister: “I also said poker shouldn’t be allowed. But once I left, they went ahead with it.”
Now he’s back and grinding his axe, with the poker order further confirming his administration will not support legal gambling initiatives, IRCs, or related ventures advanced under the scandal-ousted ex-PM Paentongtarn Shinawatra.
