Report Thailand Moves to Legalise Poker as a Sport

[spidermike007]

2 hours ago, DULEROY said:

Note
Because there appears to be a misunderstanding
On August 4, 2025, Mr. Chanin Rungthanakiat, Secretary to the Minister of the Interior, tweeted an explanation.
Poker is still considered a game of chance under Schedule B, but authorization is only granted for sporting activities aimed at promoting tourism.
Poker games are therefore not liberalized and remain an offense without authorization from the authorities.
He emphasized that permits can only be requested for sporting activities aimed at promoting tourism.

Have you ever noticed within the government here that there's always a swirling mixture of different interests and motives? So misunderstandings don't really matter, it's just a question of who the biggest dog is, and what their agenda is. 

[CanadaSam]

I think this was a necessary prelude to granting the large casino licenses, which is coming, mark my words.

[hotchilli]

13 hours ago, webfact said:

In a bold move, Acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai has signed an order to revoke the ban on poker, aiming to propel Thailand into the arena of international sporting events.

Got the gambling approved as a sport, now just need to sort out the locations, get the planning done and builders bidding.

[Jeff the Chef]

Whilst I would love Poker to become lawful in Thailand, I'm afraid the powers that be have no idea about the game, tournament poker and cash games of poker are hugely different, and all the different types of poker that are very specialised and not for the feint hearted.

[wensiensheng]

“Originally intended to curb idleness during wartime, this act now appears outdated as the nation reconsiders its stance, according to a report by Thai Newsroom.”

 

Ironic to scrap it now  given the current situation on the Cambodian border.

 

But of course it’s a ridiculous notion to have to register a deck of playing cards with the authorities. Clearly it should be scrapped. 

[black tabby12345]

Was poker previously illegal in this kingdom?

Not a keen card gamer, but didn't know that by now.

[Gaccha]

Poker was never and has never been specifically outlawed in Thailand. Having read all the relevant legislation, and knowing the terrible explanations I've found on various websites I'll explain it below.

 

Poker, as a card game, is only regarded by the Thai legislation as illegal if it is considered to be traditionally regarded as normally played in the pursuit of gambling. 

 

Poker is not, unlike many other games, named and banned by the legislation. Probably because Poker, and certainly the Texas Hold'Em variant were not known in Thailand/Siam at the time.

 

This means, even if you play with plastic tokens and with no intention to pay out with money it is still illegal since poker itself is traditionally regarded as a game played in the pursuit of gambling.

 

You'll notice that for similar reasons those pensioners playing Bridge in Pattaya got arrested. They were eventually let off because they convinced the police/prosecutors that Bridge is not a game normally played in the pursuit of gambling. 

 

By my reading of the law it seems the relevant named Minister can write declarations allowing certain games at certain times without any new legislation. And that seems to be the plan here.

 

Hope this helps.

[PomPolo]

There's plenty of shut down vape shops and cannabis shops to open up as poker dens and then to open back up as pot shops and vape shops when they ban gambling again might as well hop on the Thai roundabout while its spinning

[shocky2012]

I’ve been playing poker for a living since the early 2010s, so seeing the game recognized on this level is genuinely refreshing. Even though poker doesn’t rely on physical conditioning, it absolutely qualifies as a psychological sport in my eyes.

The level of focus and discipline required to make consistently good decisions over hundreds of thousands of hands can be just as demanding as any traditional competitive arena.
 

There’s so much more to this game than just “playing cards.” You have to build solid opening ranges, refine your 3-bet and 4-bet strategies, and balance your frequencies, etc.... then in tournaments, you have the ICM pressure as you approach final tables forces you to adjust pushing and calling ranges dynamically, taking stack sizes and payout structures into account on every decision. It’s a constant balance between maximizing chip EV and preserving your tournament life.
 

Beyond that, the amount of study that goes into staying competitive today is massive. Reviewing HHs, analyzing spots with solvers, studying population tendencies, running ICM sims, it’s all part of the routine. Even after years in the game, I still see leaks pop up in my strategy that need patching. The meta evolves, the pools adjust, and you have to keep adapting if you want to survive in a tough ecosystem.
 

On top of the technical side, there’s the mental side that people underestimate. Long hours, brutal downswings, variance stretching your patience and bankroll management skills, it takes real mental fortitude to keep showing up and executing a solid strategy. Tilt control, emotional regulation, and maintaining focus deep into 12-hour days are as important as knowing your preflop charts.
 

So yeah, for me, poker has always been a mental sport in every sense of the word. It tests your decision-making under extreme uncertainty, your discipline, your adaptability, and your resilience — all while you’re chasing the tiniest edges over massive samples.

I’m glad to see more recognition for what really goes on at the tables.

[thesetat]

20 hours ago, khunPer said:

Some years ago a group of retired expats were arrested in a Bridge-club, playing cards for fun – or as sport, and presumably also for killing time – so, can one presume that the retirees playing Bridge might also be legalized as sport...

I was talking to wife about this. She said Bridge is and has already been considered a sport and made legal in Thailand and she could not explain why the police raided several foreigner bridge clubs except to say maybe the law does not apply to foreigners. 

[NoshowJones]

Poker a sport?? Now I have seen everything. Wait a minute. Snooker or pool, darts, dominoes, "sports" more suitable for the big bellies brigade.

[khunPer]

3 hours ago, thesetat said:

I was talking to wife about this. She said Bridge is and has already been considered a sport and made legal in Thailand and she could not explain why the police raided several foreigner bridge clubs except to say maybe the law does not apply to foreigners. 

Thanks for your reply. I checked with Google – Is bridge card game a sport in Thailand? – that gives an AI-answer...

- - -

No, bridge card game is not officially recognized as a sport in Thailand, but it is widely played and has a special exemption under Thai law that allows it to be played without being considered gambling. While bridge is internationally recognized as a mind sport, like chess, it hasn't received official recognition as a sport from the Thai government. 

 

Here's why:

• "Mind Sport" Recognition:

  Bridge is considered a mind sport by the World Bridge Federation and is included in events like the Asian Games. 

   
• Thai Law Exemption:

  Thai law has a special exemption for bridge, stating it is not considered gambling. 

   
• International Competitions:

  Thailand has hosted international bridge championships, showcasing its popularity and recognition as a competitive game. 

   
• No Official Recognition:

  Despite its popularity and international recognition, bridge has not been officially designated as a sport by the Thai government. 

   
• Playing Cards Act:

  The Playing Cards Act of 1943, which prohibits the possession of more than 120 unregistered playing cards, can pose challenges for bridge players. 

   

In essence, while bridge is played and recognized as a mind sport globally and has special legal status in Thailand, it doesn't have the official "sport" designation within the country's sports framework. 

- - -

However, Google cannot answer when it happened, but says that it is first mentioned in 2016, in the context of a news article discussing the police arresting bridge players, highlighting the contradiction with the established legal status.

[Gaccha]

On 8/6/2025 at 9:19 AM, thesetat said:

I was talking to wife about this. She said Bridge is and has already been considered a sport and made legal in Thailand and she could not explain why the police raided several foreigner bridge clubs except to say maybe the law does not apply to foreigners. 

 

It is long been recognised as a sport, at least since the 1940s. This recognition looks very similar to the recognition now just granted to poker.

 

If a bridge game is played without the authorisation of the bridge club body of Thailand (CBLT) then it can still fall into the trap of being regarded as illegal. The question arises as to whether the Pattaya Bridge Club were recognised by the national body for bridge in Thailand.

 

Although the details are sketchy it seems that the bridge club when it was raided in 2016 was defended by the CBLT. This could have two meanings: they were in fact authorised and recognised by the CBLT, or on their behalf, the CBLT claimed that bridge is not a card game known culturally within Thailand for gambling. The latter is a defence under the gambling laws of Thailand for when an activity is not specifically banned.

[Formaleins]

-I would imagine now that thousands of Thais will be getting their finances in order, probably a bit of a refresher on the game. All over the country, local Thais must be pooling their finances, borrowing from friends banks and loan sharks to try to get a foot in the door and maybe have a chance at a business or even just making a few bob to get by on.

 

Give it a month or two, then watch as the corruption juggernaut railroads them and declares another U-turn and robs the people of their investments and businesses, just as they did with the Cannabis, the rice growing, the fruit growing, in fact, they will be rug pulling on every single thing that the ordinary Thai does to try to get ahead - Let them invest, let them build a business, customer base, make a bit of money, and hey presto, gone in a flash, into the pockets of the usual scum.

[balo]

As a recreational poker player myself I welcome this to Thailand. We are talking about international tournaments here, not cash games so gambling addiction will not be a problem. 

Before I had to travel to Macau to play live poker, now we could actually ending up playing legally in Bangkok and other major cities. 

They will probably join  the Asian poker tour (APT) .