Thai Police Raid Illegal Gambling Den in Saraburi, Thailand: 36 Individuals Arrested

(CTN News) – On March 25th, 2024, the Thai Crime Suppression Division raided a house in Nong Don, Saraburi, following a local report of illicit gaming operations without permission.

Upon the police inspection, many gamblers had gathered at the apartment to play gambling cards. The police encircled the location, apprehended 36 people, and seized 30,000 baht in cash.

The police investigated the suspects and discovered that the gambling den had only been open for two days before being shut down. The accused reportedly informed police that gambling insiders asked each other to play cards at their home before being apprehended suddenly.

The police initially charged the gamblers with plotting to engage in illicit gaming without permission before transporting them to the Nong Don police station for further legal proceedings.

Thailand’s Dangerous Gambling Addiction

In Thailand, you can bet on the national lottery and horse races, but everything else is illegal.

It’s no secret, though, that Thailand has a huge underground gambling industry despite the ban.

A prosperous shadow economy

Millions of dollars are made by illegal casinos, internet betting shops, underground lotteries, and pop-up bookmakers who take bets on everything from cockfights to Muay Thai.

According to ThaiPBS, police have arrested 10,644 gamblers, including 9,000 who bet on football matches since the World Cup started.

Gambling with Thailand’s future?

Due to the money flowing through these websites and the expansion of gambling venues in neighboring Cambodia, Laos, and Myanmar, some lawmakers have proposed amending the 1935 Gambling Act.

There are always Thai patrons in the casinos in Poipet, Cambodia, which Thais often staff.

Several of Thailand’s neighbors have legalized gambling and built casino complexes to boost their economies, including Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar, Malaysia, and Singapore. Despite this, Thailand still has its 1935 Gambling Act, which prohibits cash betting except for the state lottery and horse racing at state-licensed racetracks.