The casino industry is very lucrative, for both retail and online platforms. A lot of people are inquiring as to how to open an online casino. A lot of markets are capable of earning billions each year from online casino gaming alone. And the demand to open casino businesses are not limited to online options. In fact, Thailand wants to beat Japan and open Thai integrated resorts before the Japanese open theirs.
South East Asia is a popular tourist destination, even without gambling in the picture. But the potential of integrated resorts can increase tourism even more. Imagine visiting a sprawling land with various entertainment and leisure facilities, shopping districts, and gambling access in one large picturesque complex?
This is a very attractive option for retail casino gaming. Especially for countries that get a lot of tourists- as the influx of foreigners can help boost the local gambling economy, as well as other industries. This is exactly why Japan will be starting with three integrated resorts.
Thai Integrated Resorts
This potential million-dollar industry is expected to push casino and gambling operators into steeper competition. Japan has long planned for a number of integrated resorts (IRs) across the country. They plan to open the first Japanese IR by 2030. But Thailand wants to get ahead of the race, and have ambitious plans to open before Japan does.
It can be very easy to open an online casino with the help of a reliable casino pay per head software. But a brick-and-mortar operation is a different story. Lau Kok Keng, partner and head of Gaming Law Practice at Rajah and Tann Singapore LLP recently shared their insights in the recent G2E Asia Conference. In a panel discussion, they shared that they want to open their first casino by 2029, a full year before Japan’s 2030 goal.
The Boost of IRs in Thailand
The Thai government project a 50% boost in tourism if they are to open IRs in their country. There are certain concerns with infrastructure, but they are optimistic that they can develop some, similar to that of Singapore’s scale. Aside from tourism growth, adding IRs can boost the economy from tax collection, employment growth, and other benefits.
The challenge for potential operators in Thailand would be to establish a sustainable IR operation in the country. For one, their policy will be a big factor in attracting international gambling operators as partners for operations. But if they can pull this off, they will set a pace that other countries in the region will find challenging to follow. Japan already has their framework in place, but Thailand is yet to finalize their plans through legislation. So while their plans are grandiose, we may not see it happen soon- at least not until we see the legislation in place.
It took Japan twenty years to finally decide to open such facilities. Hopefully it will not take that long for Thailand.
