Authorities in Phuket, Thailand have arrested 15 people after they were found gambling in an underground casino located in the basement of an abandoned shopping center.
According to local news outlet Thaiger, officers raided the premises after being tipped off that illegal gambling activities were taking place below a snooker hall being run at street level.
The alleged offenders were said to have been playing cards, with cash, CCTV cameras and recorders, and a computer monitor among the equipment seized.
The person found dealing cards will be charged with organizing an illegal gambling event, the media outlet said, while the other 14 will be charged with participating in an illegal activity.
It was also reported that the arrests represent a broader effort to crackdown on illicit gambling operations in the region.
Thailand is currently mulling the legalization of casino gaming after Thailand’s House of Representatives recently approved a report proposing the establishment of integrated resorts with casinos in various locations across the country.
The report has recommended the development of legalized casinos in up to five locations nationwide as part of broader entertainment complexes. It also calls for casino areas to comprise no more than 5% of the toral IR floor space, with the remainder to incorporate attractions such as five-star hotels, shopping malls, beauty and spa parlours, amusement parks, zoos, and indoor and outdoor sports stadiums.
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