The government is pressing on with legalising online gambling and is collecting input from relevant agencies on the matter, according to Digital Economy and Society (DES) Minister Prasert Jantararuangtong.
Mr Prasert, who is also a deputy prime minister, on Monday provided an update on the legal revisions needed to decriminalise online gambling.
"That's the principle. Illegal online gambling is commonplace these days, and we're trying to make it legal," he said.
However, he said it has not been decided what laws must be amended in order to change the activity's legal status.
Mr Prasert pointed out that unregulated online gambling activities are socially and economically destructive and frequently tied to online criminal syndicates. "Bringing online gambling out from underground and giving it legal status is an urgent government policy," the minister said.
The ministry is currently preparing a procedural document to submit to relevant agencies detailing best practices for dealing with online gambling operations, he said.
Mr Prasert maintained legalising online gambling is totally separate from the controversial bill to establish entertainment complexes which will house the country's first legal casinos.
Making online gambling legal forms part of a legal amendment to be pushed, which requires hearing opinions from relevant agencies, particularly the Ministry of Interior and Office of the Council of State, the government's legal arm.
The DES is leading the effort on a technological solution to tackle online gambling while the Ministry of Interior is in charge of amending the specific regulations and laws.
The collaboration is needed as the current laws related to stamping out online crimes do not adequately cover recent developments in technology, he said.
On Jan 5, former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra delivered a campaign speech in Chiang Rai, stressing the government's plan to legalise certain underground activities, such as online gambling.
He was assisting the ruling Pheu Thai Party in canvassing for votes in the Provincial Administrative Organisation chairman elections next month.
Thaksin noted that although many people participate in online gambling, generating significant revenue, no taxes can be collected by the government from the activity.
Thaksin also said that millions of users, whose ages cannot be verified, are involved in online gambling, so it was high time that it was decriminalised.
