Poker is not clearly defined as a gambling game - and as such is also open to interpretation. Sportsbetting and casino games, however, are definitely gambling.

The presence of playing cards is often considered enough evidence to indicate gambling, even though you could be playing solitaire or bridge - yet the government holds the monopoly on the manufacture of playing cards in Thailand.

In short - if you gamble, don't get caught. Make no waves, keep your games private, and you'll usually be ok.

One more thing to add - online gambling is less likely to be a problem because the police can't get their hands on the money.

Poker is a gambling game.

It's not the cards themselves that are evidence of gambling but chips. I've been arrested in the past for playing with chips.

Like many laws, it depends on who and what you know and your negotiation skills. I was let off - a friend was fined 2 million baht - but they ran a casino.

Quite ironic but I know a few professional gamblers in LOS.

Edited May 1, 200818 yr by Neeranam

Poker is a gambling game.

Poker is not "clearly defined" as a gambling game, certainly not in Thailand. You might consider it gambling, I might consider it gambling, but according to the law it is unclear.

It's not the cards themselves that are evidence of gambling but chips. I've been arrested in the past for playing with chips.

Like many laws, it depends on who and what you know and your negotiation skills. I was let off - a friend was fined 2 million baht - but they ran a casino.

Quite ironic but I know a few professional gamblers in LOS.

The cards themselves are enough, as I said, and that depends on who is arresting you. Chips too. Negotiation skills are important at any time you have to face local police

Poker is a gambling game.

Poker is not "clearly defined" as a gambling game, certainly not in Thailand. You might consider it gambling, I might consider it gambling, but according to the law it is unclear.

It's not the cards themselves that are evidence of gambling but chips. I've been arrested in the past for playing with chips.

Like many laws, it depends on who and what you know and your negotiation skills. I was let off - a friend was fined 2 million baht - but they ran a casino.

Quite ironic but I know a few professional gamblers in LOS.

The cards themselves are enough, as I said, and that depends on who is arresting you. Chips too. Negotiation skills are important at any time you have to face local police

The cards themselves are not enough. The police told me that it's ok to play in public without chips.

The cards themselves are not enough. The police told me that it's ok to play in public without chips.

Depends on the police you are dealing with. It is entirely possible to gamble without the presence of chips.

The cards themselves are not enough. The police told me that it's ok to play in public without chips.

Depends on the police you are dealing with. It is entirely possible to gamble without the presence of chips.

They told me that if they found any tally sheet, chips, even matches they could prosecute. Of course some police will charge you if you are playing 'patience'.

it's funny to read this since the banks in thailand are now allowing online gambling withdrawl and deposits.

i myself am going to get a thai bank account for my online gambling needs

They told me that if they found any tally sheet, chips, even matches they could prosecute.

Obviously anything like chips, tally/score sheet, etc. is additional proof. But the presence of these things without cards is unlikely to be prosecuted.

Of course some police will charge you if you are playing 'patience'.

Note the context. I said: "The presence of playing cards is often considered enough evidence to indicate gambling" and not "The presence of playing cards is always considered enough evidence to indicate gambling".

You can gamble at bridge. In fact, bridge generally requires a tally-sheet.

And you can gamble on the result of a game of solitaire (though obviously this is a bit of a stretch for most people).

it's funny to read this since the banks in thailand are now allowing online gambling withdrawl and deposits.

Care to share?

it's funny to read this since the banks in thailand are now allowing online gambling withdrawl and deposits.

i myself am going to get a thai bank account for my online gambling needs

Which will provide a very easy paper trail to follow between you and your illegal activities.

Edited May 1, 200818 yr by burman

Well they continuously raid low dosh gambling dens - so I dare say its a high priority for the MIB.

it's funny to read this since the banks in thailand are now allowing online gambling withdrawl and deposits.

i myself am going to get a thai bank account for my online gambling needs

Pray Tell ,

Which ones ?

You cant compare downloading illegal pictures or even music stored locally on your computer with someone playing in a poker tournament that really takes place in Europe. I dont think that the laws in Thailand can prevent you from doing that .

If they want to stop it they have to close down the internet....

So if it was just a video stream of child pornography that was not stored on your computer, then it would be ok?

You know excactly what I mean , playing poker online in your home is not more illegal than listening to music . I bring the laptop with me wherever i travel and I read my mail every week , I listen to music and watch movies, and I play poker every week.

I can understand it if someone are playing cards in the open, inside Thailand , yes they will have a problem with the police.

It's illegal. All gambling in Thailand is except for the lottery.

But many people do it and don't get caught since it's hardly worth anyone's time to bother about.

And the SET.

You know excactly what I mean , playing poker online in your home is not more illegal than listening to music . I bring the laptop with me wherever i travel and I read my mail every week , I listen to music and watch movies, and I play poker every week.

I can understand it if someone are playing cards in the open, inside Thailand , yes they will have a problem with the police.

It is illegal !!

Just because you can doesnt mean you are allowed to..

I CAN drive faster than the law.. I CAN do many illegal things.. None of which makes it legal.

just because you wish to break the law doesnt make you legally able to.. Your basically putting your head up your ass and denying the legal right of Thailand to make its own laws.

Ohh and just to close the argument.

http://www.phuketgazette.com/issuesanswers...ails.asp?id=830

“It is legal if you play online poker for entertainment only, but illegal under Thai law to play for even small amounts of money. Every online game played for money is illegal in Thailand.”

Friday, July 22, 2005 Pol Maj Wacharin Jiratthitikarlwiwat, Phuket City Police Station.

Refute that please !!

yes, it is illegal

ok thanks and how do you know that for certain

You can be our test mule. Go ahead and gamble online and if the boys in brown come to your place and snatch your ass up, then we will all know it is illegal.

It is illegal, but as long as you don't go shouting about it, nobody will ever know or really care.

OK I wont argue with you about that , but the best things in life are illegal , its illegal to smoke in public places where I live, sometimes you just have to break the law .

I dont feel like a criminal doing that.

yes, it is illegal

ok thanks and how do you know that for certain

You can be our test mule. Go ahead and gamble online and if the boys in brown come to your place and snatch your ass up, then we will all know it is illegal.

Erm.. So you now agree it is illegal then ?? Not like listening to music.. Or watching movies..

Takes a while to get through to some people..

My point is that almost everyone is breaking the law when using the internet , downloading music and movies from illegal sites. Or playing games , poker . No law in the world can stop that.

In the online casinos you can also play in funny version. So I don't broke any laws if I play without money.

I had a good standing account for about 2 years with 1 well known site and after being in Thailand for 2 months my account got closed..they didnt even want to tell me why but eventually told me it was because i was in Thailand and Gambling online from there is illegal.

They said I could regain my account when I returned home... So be careful.

I think those casino made an abuse against you,. Because they can know where you are upon your subscription, and then they can reject you immediately.

But they accepted you and your money (they well knowing you been in Thailand) and after they closed your account.