CHIANG RAI – Authorities in Chiang Rai have ordered claw machines to be pulled from shopping centres, convenience stores, and arcades across the province. The aim is to protect local children from picking up gambling habits disguised as harmless fun.
These coin-operated “Clam Game” machines have become popular at family destinations, tempting kids with soft toys and trinkets amid cheerful lights and music. Behind the playful exterior, however, experts argue that the games introduce children to gambling by design.
The provincial governor’s office issued the order last week after a spike in complaints from parents. Chiang Rai’s approach mirrors steps taken elsewhere in Thailand to regulate gaming devices that skirt the law. “These machines are not toys.
They invite children to take risks,” said Pol. Col. Somsak Phromma, deputy superintendent of Mueang Chiang Rai Police Station, at a recent press briefing. He explained that many parents had contacted the police, concerned that children were spending their lunch money and pocket money on repeated plays, rarely winning any prizes. He called for swift action to protect the young and future generations.
About 150 claw machines face removal across Chiang Rai’s busy shopping spots, including Central Plaza Chiang Rai and night markets. Since Monday, police and child welfare teams have begun confiscating machines, taking 42 from one arcade alone.
Fines and Possible Jail Time
Operators now have 15 days to remove any remaining devices, or face penalties of up to 2,000 baht per machine. For those who refuse, jail time is possible. Some venues say they had no idea the machines were a problem. “We just thought it was a bit of fun. We’re taking them out before it causes us trouble,” one mall manager commented.
Claw machines are clearly listed as banned gambling devices under Thailand’s Gambling Act B.E. 2478 (1935), which still shapes the country’s strict gambling rules. According to Appendix B, Item 28, the games involve a “win-lose situation between player and operator.”
Any game where someone risks money on an uncertain result is considered gambling. Coins per play usually run from 10 to 100 baht, with nothing guaranteed in return. A 2004 Supreme Court ruling confirmed this view, comparing claw machines to slot machines after declaring them tools for betting aimed at the public.
Enforcement, however, has often fallen short. A 2006 Interior Ministry memo stopped local authorities from issuing licenses for claw machines, matching Thailand’s strong stance against most forms of gambling except state lotteries and horse racing. In 2020, youth campaigns brought the issue back to attention.
The No Gambling Youth Club’s survey found over 1,300 machines operating in 75 out of 92 malls across 10 provinces, prompting another government ban. Even so, patchy control meant a comeback for the machines, especially as tourism returned post-pandemic. In Chiang Rai, a province with visitors from Laos and Myanmar, the problem grew quietly until parents took a stand.
Addiction to Claw Machines
Claw machines are dangerous for children partly because their design keeps players hooked. Moving the joystick gives a sense of skill, but the real outcome relies on luck. “Machine owners set payout rates as low as 10-20%, making most grabs too weak to succeed,” said Dr. Aria Khosravi from the YMCA’s Youth Gambling Awareness Program.
“Kids get drawn in by the occasional win. Most of the time, the prize falls just short, encouraging more tries.” This “near-miss” effect is borrowed from casino slot machines. Children, especially, are keen to keep playing, convinced that the next coin will win.
A 2022 UK Gambling Commission survey found almost one in three 11-16-year-olds had gambled in the last year, and nearly three-quarters said their first experience was a claw machine. In Thailand, the No Gambling Youth Club linked early contact with these machines to higher rates of betting among teens, with players inserting coins until their allowance runs out and seeing failure as bad luck.
The concern runs deep in Chiang Rai. In Wiang Chai district, Nonglak Srisuk, a single mother, shared how her 12-year-old son, Arm, lost 500 baht on a mall claw machine last month. “He came home in tears saying, ‘One more go Mum, I nearly got it’,” she said. “They’re not just games. They’re teaching him to gamble away what he has.
How can children learn the value of money when these machines are everywhere shouting ‘easy win’?” Teachers at Ban Wat Sri Pho Ngern School say they see students skip lunch after losing their money on the machines. A poll by the Chiang Rai Parents’ Network revealed that 65% of families view claw games as “hidden threats.”
Banning Unfair Tricks
Those who oppose the ban, including some arcade owners, claim claw machines help with hand-eye coordination and are no worse than video games. A 2022 legal opinion from Chiang Mai described them as “vending machines” rather than gambling devices, giving hope to operators.
National authorities rejected this idea, saying the law is clear. “There’s no real skill here,” said Nutthapong Ruengpanyawut, founder of the No Gambling Youth Club. “It’s luck, set up for business. We’re not banning fun, we’re banning unfair tricks.”
Chiang Rai’s operation forms part of a national push in 2025. Earlier in September, Phuket’s Thalang district closed 50 claw machines. Surat Thani officials pulled over 50 as well, with Nakhon Si Thammarat raiding shops selling unapproved prizes.
While fines remain small compared to the profits, police promise tougher checks on operator finances. Child psychologists say parents should keep an eye on how their children play, talk with them about losses and money, and support safe, skill-based games with certain rewards.
As the sun sets over Chiang Rai’s hills, the province takes its first steps to break children’s ties to risky machines. For Arm and his classmates, the lesson is simple: real prizes require patience and effort, not risky bets. By acting now, Thailand shows it is serious about giving children a safer start, machine by machine.
