Sands President Says Thailand Needs Clear Casino Framework

• Comments come as country’s casino ambitions teeter on the brink
• Executive says Thailand has the makings of a strong casino market
• Adds entertainment complexes need casinos

Las Vegas Sands COO and President Patrick Dumont believes Thailand has the makings of a compelling, vibrant casino market, but he added the Southeast Asian nation needs to act decisively to realize its gaming ambitions.

In an interview earlier this week with The Nation, one of the country’s most widely consumed media outlets, the Sands executive said Thailand’s currently faltering casino agenda needs “long-term vision” and robust “regulatory clarity.”

Thailand has the ingredients — culture, hospitality, location. But to attract serious investment, you need a framework that gives confidence — regulatory clarity, long-term vision and an unwavering commitment to excellence,” Dumont told The Nation.

He made those remarks just days after legislation to approve and regulate gaming in the country folded amid possible regime change. Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, a backer of the entertainment complex effort, has been suspended following allegations of her role in a pay-for-play scheme with a Cambodian official.

Political, Regulatory Clarity Needed to Advance Thailand Casinos

The entertainment complex bill floated earlier this year proposed five venues — one each in Chon Buri, Chiang Mai, and Phuket, and two in Bangkok. But another round of political turmoil a country with a knack for such events has put gaming on the backburner.

“Trying to build an integrated resort without a casino is like building a hotel without Wi-Fi – it may look attractive, but it lacks what makes it competitive,” he told The Nation. “Meetings, incentives, conventions, and exhibitions (MICE) isn’t just about events – it’s about ecosystems where business, hospitality and entertainment converge. Thailand could absolutely be part of that story, but it needs to move decisively.”

Those remarks are comparable to comments industry executives have made about potential expansion in other jurisdictions, including in the US, where they’ve noted it’s simply not economically viable to build hotels and convention centers without a gaming component.

Thailand Has Casino Potential

There’s no denying Thailand is a potential-laden market for gaming companies. By some estimates, it could become the third-largest casino market in the world when it reaches maturity, but getting there requires legislative and solid regulatory protocols.

Over the course of the Thailand casino debate, some analysts have highlighted for strong regulations because if the country is too lax on the regulatory front, it could be off-putting to US-based operators, particularly given the reputation of Southeast Asia as a hub for human trafficking and money laundering.

To date in addition to Sands, MGM Resorts International, by way of its MGM China unit, and Wynn Resorts, are among the domestic gaming companies that have expressed some interest in Thailand.