Thailand takes tough measures to fight online gambling

Thailand is?stepping?up to fight against online gambling by warning internet service providers and cellphone operators of legal action if they fail to block access to gambling websites?

On Monday,?Government spokesman Anucha?Burapachaisri?confirmed that Prime Minister?Prayut?Chan-O-Cha has instructed the authorities including the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society, the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission and the police to strictly take such measures to?protect?youth?from partaking in to any forms of gambling online.?

The?local mobile telecom operators and internet service providers?in Thailand?have been warned?to immediately?block?access to a total of 1,202 gambling websites under court orders, which have been?earlier issued, according to?Burapachaisri.

The platforms would then have 15 days to comply or face legal action?under the Computer Crimes Act and the Gambling Act.?

Last week, Thailand’s government filed formal complaints against Facebook and Twitter for allegedly failing to comply with local court rulings ordering them to block content involving online gambling, porn, illegal drugs and unflattering profiles of the Thai monarchy?within the?required?15-day period.?

Minister of Digital Economy and Society,?Buddhipongse?Punnakanta,?said Facebook reportedly blocked only 215 of 661 offending accounts while Twitter had blocked only four of 69 suspect accounts on its platform.?

Punnakanta?stated,?“We are protecting our sovereignty, which may not mean protecting physical borders in the traditional sense but rather, as I said yesterday, that we are protecting our cyber sovereignty,” He declared that such attacks “happen fast and are constantly damaging Thais.”?

Another varying news, earlier this month,?Mongkolkit?Suksintharanon?suggested? the?legalisation?of gambling and?proposed for the?development of integrated resorts at key tourist destinations like Bangkok, Phuket, and Chiang Mai.?Suksintharanon?justified the proposal based on the fact that?gambling was on going in the country regardless of the existing prohibition. Moreover, the?huge chunk of revenue?generated?from this sector?will benefit the country.?

SiGMA?Calendar:??

SiGMA?Americas and AIBC Digital Summit were launched with great success in the past week, pushing the shifting grounds of the gaming industry towards?LatAm?and discussing the current developments in?digitalisation.?In a first for?SiGMA, both the gaming and the tech segments of the conference were offered?in?3 languages, English, Spanish and Portuguese.???

SiGMA?will launch its next series of events in 2021, with?SiGMA Europe?headlining next year’s calendar. Inaugural summits in Asia and Americas are also set to dominate the year, with?SiGMA Asia?launching in May 2021 and?SiGMA Africa?in 2022! Explore the full agenda?here?and?register now!?