Tournament poker is now officially legal in Thailand after the government on Monday overturned a long-standing ban on the activity.
According to The Bangkok Post, Acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai signed an order legalizing poker games for money under controlled conditions, with the specific goal of enabling international-level poker tournaments to be held in the country.
Interior Ministry Order No.2253/2568 revokes a long-standing ban under Order No.490/2501 dated 28 July 1958, although IAG understands the order is not blanket legislation and does not apply to cash games.
Instead, the purpose is to promote international tourism by defining tournament poker as a sport.
Phumtham, who is also Thailand’s Interior Minister, said, “If poker is to be recognized as a sport, there must be a proper legal framework. We need to remove regulatory obstacles to allow international competitions while maintaining strong oversight.
“Poker has been legally recognized as a sport by international federations for over a decade. If we want to host competitions, we must allow it in a limited, case-by-case manner.”
A full legal framework governing the new law has yet to be fully implemented, Phumtham added.
The legalization of tournament poker comes with moves to introduce legal casino gaming in large-scale entertainment complexes having collapsed, with the government recently voting to pull its draft casino bill from the House agenda amid rising public opposition and the suspension of Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra by the Constitutional Court.
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