The government continues to spearhead the push to legalise online gambling, with the legislation expected to be finalised within one month.
Digital Economy and Society (DES) Minister Prasert Jantararuangtong on Tuesday said the cabinet approved in principle a proposal from the DES regarding a legal framework to manage online gambling-related issues on Monday.
The proposal includes amending secondary laws created by ministers before dealing with any amendment of major laws, which will need the parliament's approval.
The secondary law amendments will involve the cooperation of the DES, the Ministry of Interior and the Council of State and will take about one month, he said.
"The goal is to regulate underground gambling operations, bringing them into the legal framework and ensuring proper taxation," he said.
Mr Prasert said that DES and the Interior Ministry have discussed the issues for months as it is a policy of the government to legalise underground businesses to boost state income.
He said online football betting is quite popular among Thais, and this will also be considered as well as other forms of online gambling, such as traditional sports, including cock fighting or digital gambling.
When asked whether three agencies would be sufficient, Mr Prasert said other organisations could be brought in if necessary.
Once approved, each agency can proceed with its roles, including conducting public hearings.
Regarding why the cabinet decision on such an important matter was not officially announced by the government or any ministers but through former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, Mr Prasert said the matter had been briefly discussed in the cabinet meeting on Monday.
However, public attention was more focused on the cabinet's approval of the principal of the Entertainment Complex Bill, he said. Thaksin announced the move last week while campaigning for Pheu Thai's candidate for the Provincial Administrative Organisation chief election in Chiang Rai.
Asked whether the government or private sector would manage online gambling, Mr Prasert said this had not yet been determined and would depend on the details of the secondary laws.
