Youth Groups Oppose Gambling Bill Plan, Urge Government to Reconsider
Around 30 representatives from a youth network against gambling submitted a petition to the prime minister yesterday, urging the government to reconsider its proposal to legalize online gambling. The group voiced concerns that one in four young people is at risk of developing a gambling addiction.
Sompat Ninlaphan, deputy permanent secretary of the Prime Minister’s Office, received the petition on behalf of the government.
Wasinee Sonsab, the network coordinator, expressed strong opposition to the policy of amending the Gambling Act of 1935 to legalize online gambling, emphasizing concerns about an increase in young gamblers.
“Currently, Thai youths can access gambling in large numbers,” Wasinee said. She cited data from the Center for Gambling Studies, which found that in 2023, 32.3% of people aged 15-25, or about 2.9 million young people, gambled online. Of these, approximately one in four—around 739,000 youths—are at risk of developing an addiction, she claimed.
“This statistic has not been protected by the government at all,” Wasinee continued. “We oppose this policy because the government’s attempt to generate income through online gambling is a greedy and shameful idea. It shows an obvious desire for short-term profits, without considering the long-term social damage it will cause.”
She criticized the government’s claim that the income from legalized gambling would be used to provide scholarships for poor students, arguing that it is akin to using young people’s futures as a bargaining chip without taking responsibility for the consequences.
Wasinee also disagreed with the government’s argument that the policy would strengthen penalties for offenders, likening it to “using strong medicine to treat a serious disease.” She pointed out that the widespread issue of online gambling is largely driven by corruption and the misconduct of officials, suggesting that increasing punishments might empower officials to misuse these measures rather than address the root causes.
Bodinchai Boonpok, leader of the Youth Network for Risk Reduction at Ramkhamhaeng University, emphasized the devastating impact of online gambling addiction. Many people trapped in the cycle of addiction, he said, resort to lying and stealing to fuel their habit.
“We do not believe that legalizing online gambling or casinos will reduce or eliminate illegal gambling sites or dens,” Bodinchai stated. “It’s simply an excuse to deceive the public.”
The youth network hopes the prime minister will reconsider the policy, urging for more comprehensive solutions to protect young people from the harmful effects of gambling.
