Thailand Recriminalizes Poker as New Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul Reverses Legalization
Thursday 23 de October 2025 / 12:00
⏱ 1 min read
(Bangkok).- Just two months after being decriminalized, poker is once again banned in Thailand under the government’s renewed crackdown on all forms of gambling.
Thai Prime Minister and Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has officially reinstated the ban on poker, reversing a decision made in July by his Pheu Thai predecessor Phumtham Wechayachai to decriminalize the game.
According to the Department of Provincial Administration, the move aligns with the government’s policy platform announced on September 29, which calls for the suppression of all gambling activities — including those disguised as sports. The new order also nullifies the previous authorization for poker tournaments, issued by Phumtham on July 30, shortly before a major event took place.
The Ministry of Tourism and Sports had previously clarified that poker was to be treated as a regulated sport, not as gambling, under the oversight of an authorized association. Former minister Sorawong Thienthong emphasized that lifting the 67-year-old ban was never intended as a broad legalization of gambling.
The Pheu Thai Party had also advocated for the legalization of casino gambling, a stance firmly opposed by Anutin’s Bhumjaithai Party, which has now reaffirmed its commitment to a strict anti-gambling policy.
Categoría:Poker
Tags: Sin tags
País: Thailand
Región: Asia
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