Thailand Casinos
Online gambling in Thailand isn’t going to be a walk in the park for any player. Firstly, the Asian country has made gambling online illegal. Secondly, it isn’t just online betting that is illegal; most forms of land-based gambling is off-limits, too. Finally, there is a censorship program in effect, blocking many of today’s most established offshore casinos. All of this makes it tricky for Thai players to gamble online.
However, we said it was tricky for Thai players to bet online – not impossible for them to do so. There are options available for any Thai player who fancies skipping over a few laws, exploiting a few loopholes, and betting at foreign, international, and offshore casinos. We’ll start by introducing you to a few of those below before we move ahead and explore the areas where Thailand’s gambling laws can be exploited (to a degree). Our top recommended Thai online casinos (all based offshore, of course) include:
Best Real Money Online Casinos for Thai Players
Is It Legal to Gamble Online in Thailand?
Is online casino gambling legal in Thailand? No. In fact, it isn’t just legal gambling sites in Thailand that are hard to come across – most forms of gambling, online or otherwise, are off the table. Anything other than Thailand’s national lottery or betting on horse races at licensed tracks in Bangkok is a no-no.
Fortunately, there is a bit of wiggle room. Thailand’s gambling laws don’t mention internet betting. Of course, we know that Thailand’s gambling laws are intended to cover that, too, but they don’t specifically say that. For this reason, Thailand doesn’t prosecute or punish its players who visit offshore and foreign casinos.
The more straightforward solution (for the Thai authorities) is to run a blacklist, whereby all major international betting sites are cut off and inaccessible for Thai players. That said, a half-decent VPN will see get access to the casinos subject to geo-blocks. What does this mean for legit Thailand online casinos and other types of betting sites? Let’s find out below…
Online Casino
If Thailand doesn’t license online casinos, how are there legit Thailand online casinos for you to join? In truth, there are none. Any so-called Thai casino you play at is effectively an offshore site. Thailand won’t punish you for joining and playing at these sites (or, at least, they are very unlikely to), so these are the casinos that naturally feature in our recommended list.
Online Poker
Playing online poker in Thailand, like most forms of gambling, is illegal. However, it is once again worth noting that Thai players are not prosecuted by their government for doing so. Of course, as mentioned above, you’re going to need to visit a foreign site to play poker online.
Online Sports Betting
Sports betting in poker is a mixed back. On the one hand, betting trackside on horse racing is legal if you head over to Bangkok. However, those tracks must be the Royal Turf Club, or the Royal Bangkok Sports Club, with every other type of sports bet – even if it is on horse racing – illegal in Thailand. Again, the authorities haven’t made online sports betting illegal but won’t prosecute you for visiting an offshore site.
Online Lottery
Lottery games tend to be one of the few legal exemptions when it comes to betting and gambling in Thailand. Lottery games are owned as part of a state monopoly, but they cannot be played online. Assuming you want to play the lottery (up to twice a month), you can expect to pay 80 baht. The national lottery is the only legal form of lottery gambling in the country, but there are several others (some more popular than the national lotto) that are illegal.
Online Bingo
Thailand doesn’t believe that bingo counts as the same type of game as the lottery. For this reason, bingo games are banned in Thailand. Again, you can visit an offshore casino if you want to play online bingo and shouldn’t be prosecuted by the Thai authorities for doing so.
History of Gambling in Thailand
How did Thailand come to establish its current gambling laws? Take a quick look back at Thailand’s gambling history to see how we got to where we are today…
- 1700s: Locals in Siam (Thailand) regularly gambled, with over one hundred games thought to have existed. Blood sports such as cockfights and bullfights were popular, and the Siamese also bet on boat races.
- 1820: The Chinese introduce the concept of lottery games (through their Huay lottery games), and other foreign games begin to pop up in Siam.
- 1930: Casinos are banned and closed in Thailand.
- 1933: Thailand’s state-controlled National Lottery begins. It is played on the first of the month, expanding to the first and sixteenth of every month in 1989.
- 1935: Thailand announced its Gambling Act. It divides games up to two lists. List A (blood sports, casino games) are made punishable by up to fines (of up to 5,000 baht) and up to 3 years in prison. By contrast, List B (sports betting, bingo, raffles, and more) is punishable by up to a year in prison and a 1,000 baht fine.
- 1943: The Playing Cards Act makes it illegal to manufacture, sell or even own playing cards.
- 2020: Thailand begins operating a blacklist of illegal betting sites after it is revealed that over 200 billion baht ($6 billion) is wagered that year alone. The Ministry of Digital Economy and Society commands ISPs to block foreign casinos and sportsbooks. However, following protests and rows over “censorship”, including both casinos and porn sites, Thai authorities refrain from actively prosecuting anyone.
Is It Safe to Gamble at a Thai Online Casino?
As mentioned, there are no Thai casinos for you to join. Therefore, the only safe online casinos in Thailand are those that are based offshore and that aren’t a part of the country’s blacklists. We can readily state that in terms of safe online casinos in Thailand, those based, licensed, and regulated out of the United Kingdom and Malta fit the bill. Failing that, any of the top offshore Thai casinos listed on this page should suffice nicely for you.
How to Choose the Best Online Casino?
Of course, you can do all the work yourself if you want to. You can check out bonuses and promotions, gaming libraries, SSL encryption and RNG certifications, licensing, regulation, payment methods and KYC processes. However, for many players, this is too much work. Instead, it is easier to recommend the most trusted online casinos for Thai players to you.
Head over to our online gambling reviews for Thailand casinos, and you will find a wealth of internet betting sites that have passed muster with us. They have fulfilled all our tests and criteria and passed with flying colours. Here are a few of the key things we want to see in these types of Thai casinos…
Casino Bonuses
Any online casino bonus you claim shouldn’t just be worth a stack of cash; it should also be fair. Only the fairest online casino deals will win favour with our team, and we check all the terms and conditions to be sure that they are above board.
Games and Software
On top of the bonuses that a casino offers, we would also want to see a top selection of games. These should cover all sorts of genres – not just slots – with hundreds if not thousands of RNG certified titles available from a dozen providers or more.
The Reputation of the Casino
The reputation of any Thai casino is of paramount importance. First, we need to ensure that the site is based offshore (so it doesn’t break Thai law), and we need to rest assured that it is licensed, regulated, and certified as fair.
Casino Customer Support
Thai players can usually speak English, but this may not be true for everyone. Therefore, it is important that offshore casinos cater to players in Thai and deliver an array of options and methods for them to use to get the help they need.
Payment Methods
Online casino payment methods are relatively the same for players as they are everywhere else. Even so, speedy withdrawal times, no added fees, and acceptance of Thai baht are essential for any casino catering to Thais.
Online Casino Games Available for Thai Players
Once you’re signed up, what can you expect to play? Each of our recommended online casinos that accept Thai players should support the following:
- New online casinos games should regularly be added for Thailand’s players.
- Games should come from a wealth of different providers.
- Games should span a series of genres, including slots, table games, live dealers and more.
- Any titles supported at the casino should have fair RTP rates and be RNG certified.
- Ideally, games can be played on mobile devices and in a free demo mode to boot.
- The best online casino games in Thailand should match those found elsewhere, including MegaWays, Cluster Pays and progressive jackpot slots of renown.
Online Slots
Online slots in Thailand should include all your favourites. Major progressive games should be supported, and the latest features such as MegaWays and Cluster Pays engines should appear in slot machines in Thailand.
Online Blackjack
Card games can only be played at offshore casinos. However, this is a perfectly fine way to play blackjack online for real money if you live in Thailand, with dozens of variants available.
Online Roulette
The best online roulette gambling sites in Thailand can offer you American, European and French Roulette, but also Auto Roulette, La Partage Roulette, and many other live dealer variants alongside conventional RNG titles.
Live Dealer Games
When joining a live casino online, if you live in Thailand, you should fish around to find those sites that offer titles from Evolution Gaming or Ezugi. These tend to carry the most extensive selection of live dealer games you can find anywhere online.
Other Online Casino Games
If you fancy having a crack at other online casino games, what can you expect to see? Bingo, keno, video poker, Sic Bo, Andar Bahar, craps, instant win games and even scratch cards are not uncommon here.
Most Popular Casino Software in Thailand
You will find that whether you play at a Microgaming casino for Thailand’s players, a typical Curacao licensed site, or the best NetEnt casinos for players in Thailand, the same software providers tend to spring up. Notable developers offering free-to-play and real money games to Thai players include:
- Amaya Gaming
- Asia Gaming
- BetSoft Gaming
- Evolution Gaming
- Habanero
- iSoftBet
- Microgaming
- NetEnt
Banking Information for Thai Players
Thailand online casinos don’t accept PayPal, but you can visit an online casino in Thailand and deposit with VISA and the following options:
- AstroPay
- Bank Transfers (limited availability)
- Cryptocurrencies
- MasterCard
- Paysafecard
- Skrill
- VISA
When depositing and withdrawing at Thai casinos, it is important to remember the following:
- Thai casinos are not actually based in Thailand but abroad. Therefore, some may not offer the Thai baht as a currency.
- Some Thai banks prohibit and report transactions involving online gambling sites.
- Deposit and withdrawal methods should have fair limits, fast transaction times and be free to use.
- Ensure that deposit bonuses are claimable in Thai baht and not other currencies, such as US dollars.
Cryptocurrencies
Using cryptocurrencies to deposit at online casinos when residing in Thailand isn’t a half-bad idea. After all, Thailand has made online casinos illegal, so a bit of anonymity will go a long way. Moreover, your bank can’t monitor your financial transactions when you deposit at foreign betting sites using Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, Dogecoin, Bitcoin Cash, Tether or the myriad of other cryptocurrencies that are around.
Mobile Gaming in Thailand
Playing at a mobile casino in Thailand won’t always require apps. In fact, given that you are forced to play at foreign sites, most online gambling apps in Thailand won’t work as smoothly, as the pay-by-mobile options will be missing. Instead, we’d recommend playing your favourite mobile casino games by using nothing more than your web browser on whatever iOS or Android device you prefer.
Thailand Online Casino Bonuses & Promo Codes
As there are no real online casinos legal in Thailand, you’re going to have to look to offshore sites to claim offers. Some may require Thailand-based players to enter online casino bonus codes to trigger offers, and some don’t. However, you should always check the terms and conditions of any bonus you intend on claiming. Some may be considerably fairer than others, as shown with their wagering requirements.
Alternatively, you can opt only to claim the best bonus deals at online casinos in Thailand. Check out our top Thai bonus casino reviews to find exciting and prosperous but fair bonuses.
No Deposit Bonuses
Many offshore casinos offer new Thailand players no deposit casino bonuses. A typical no deposit casino for Thailand’s players will provide a handful of free spins on selected slots or a small sum of baht which you can use to play games for free with the potential for landing real money winnings.
Deposit Match
The classic match deposit bonus is the most common offer of all time. A first deposit bonus casino in Thailand will typically offer you a few thousand baht when you deposit into your account. However, some may be worth tens of thousands of baht, and others far less. The exact amount you can claim is not the only thing you should look for, though. Keep an eye out for Thailand online casinos with low deposit terms, too, such as wagering requirements, minimum deposit limits and no max win caps.
Free Spins
Playing at an online casino for free with a signup bonus and no deposit required is recommended for Thailand’s players. Of course, you don’t want to have to spend every waking second trying to find a Thai casino that has escaped the blacklist and offers free spins. Our team has done that for you. Just head to our Thai casino reviews to find top sites that offer free spin bonuses right now.
Reload Bonuses
Finally, why claim a welcome bonus (deposit offer) just once when you can get rewarded for depositing every time? It might seem like a lot to ask, but many top Thai casinos have regular reload bonuses up for grabs. You just need to know where to look, and once more, our team is on hand with an array of top sites reviewed and approved for you right here.
FAQs
Don’t rush into joining any Thai casino. Take your time and check out our brief FAQ (frequently asked questions) guide to make sure you’re not missing anything before you register at one of our top Thai casinos today…
