Understanding Asian Gambling Trends and Gambling Markets

Although not all Asian countries permit gambling activities, and many are strictly regulated, Asia is one of the fastest-growing gambling markets in the world. With the large populations of countries like China and India, continual improvement in many Asian countries’ economies. Gambling laws are becoming reevaluated in many Asian countries, the gambling trends in these places are changing rapidly.

Specific gambling zones throughout Asia attract millions of gamblers from all around the world. Several countries have developed world-renowned gambling resorts. The most prominent ones in Asia are Wynn Macau and Galaxy Macau in China, Resorts World Sentosa and Marina Bay Sands in Singapore, and Casino Pride and Casino Royale in Goa. Let’s take a closer look at three Asian countries that are currently seeing major gambling trends.

Thailand’s Strict on Gambling

The gambling laws in Thailand are some of the strictest on the planet. There is a full ban on almost all gambling activities in the country. The two exceptions are horse racing and the state lottery. However, despite the strict laws, gambling in Thailand is on the rise. The country’s Center of Gambling Studies and Center for Social and Business Development reported in 2019 that 57% of Thailand’s population had engaged in gambling over the previous year. That’s a whopping 30.4 million Thais. The figure was an increase of 1.4 million since 2017. Many of those wagers were made at local bookmakers and agents who operate against the law. Many bets are also placed at betting sites outside of Thailand.

The other way locals make bets is via online gambling sites. There is no actual law in Thailand that prevents online gambling, but local officials prohibit it. The majority of Thai people use online casinos that are hosted overseas to circumvent government restrictions.

Japan Gambling Market

Although some types of gambling are legal in Japan, like the national lottery and some types of racing, casinos have remained illegal. However, in 2018, the Japanese government gave the go-ahead for three casino resorts to operate legally. In 2020, the Casino Administration Committee was set up to monitor Japan’s casino resort operators. The three resorts are expected to be in Tokyo, Osaka, and Yokohama. If you prefer to play online, operators like Casumo (カスモ) may be a good option to consider in the future as the market develops.

According to experts, the new casinos will make the Japanese gambling market worth an estimated $16 billion. If that prediction is correct, Japan’s overall gambling revenue will be more than Las Vegas. And next to Macau in China, Japan will become the second-largest gambling market on the planet. However, the majority of that revenue is expected to come from foreigners visiting the country’s new casino resorts. Locals will still have restrictions. Japanese people will have to pay entrance fees of $74, and they will not be permitted to visit a casino more than ten times a month.

Gambling in Singapore

Under British rule, gambling in Singapore was banned in 1829, which drove gambling activities underground. In 1968, the state lottery was established, and not long after, sports betting was also made legal. Nothing else changed in the legislation of gambling until the early 2000s. When the economic crisis occurred, the Singapore government began to reconsider its position on land-based gambling.

In 2006, partial legislation of gambling activities was adopted in Singapore, with an agreement that two casino licenses would be granted within ten years. The two casinos, Resorts World Sentosa and Marina Bay Sands, are now two of the most prestigious casino destinations on the planet. However, while foreign visitors can enter the casinos for free, local Singaporeans must pay an entrance fee or buy a yearly membership. That was supposed to deter locals from visiting the casinos, but it did not discourage them.

As for online gambling, the legal situation is slowly changing in Singapore. Officially, online gambling is still prohibited in the country, but local operators began attempting to legalize gambling in Singapore. The authorities refused two attempts in 2013 and 2015. But in 2016, two Singaporean online gambling operators finally managed to gain permission to run their businesses. Singapore Turf Club provides online sports betting services, and Singapore Pools provides the lottery online. However, the operators are not allowed to offer any other gambling activities, so you will not find any slots or table games on their websites at present.