The Mystic Gambler 4t4n4c

Simon Thomas, the executive chair and majority shareholder of The Hippodrome Casino in the UK has weighed in on the country’s ongoing gambling reforms, expressing optimism about changes to how land-based casinos are regulated.

DCMS Proposes Key Changes to How Casinos Are Regulated 4f5h2x

In an interview with gaming news outlet NEXT.io, Thomas weighed in on the planned overhaul of Great Britain’s land-based sector. The proposed changes, which are consistent with the Gambling Act white paper, were just submitted to parliament by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS).

The DCMS’s Casinos (Gaming Machines and Mandatory Conditions) Regulations proposal envisions certain changes that, according to Thomas, would make Britain’s casino sector able to compete with the country’s growing iGaming space.

Among other things, the proposed overhaul would raise the cap on Category B machines to 80 per venue. At the same time, the minimum gaming-table area for “small” 2005-Act casinos will be reduced. The changes furthermore propose setting a 5:1 machine-to-table ratio for both 1968 and 2005-Act properties.

Additionally, sports betting will be allowed across all land-based casinos, providing properties with access to an important revenue stream.

Simon Applauded the DCMS’s Delivery 3g351b

In his interview with NEXT.io, Thomas regretted that the casino industry has been “disadvantaged” for years and expressed excitement about the changes. While he itted that the changes are somewhat “modest” compared to international competitors, he was convinced that they would make brick-and-mortar properties more competitive than they currently are.

Thomas also asserted that the policy amendments would be an important economic stimulus to city centers and high streets as businesses would finally be allowed to modernize and innovate.

Casinos are a vital pillar of the UK’s leisure, hospitality and tourism sector. The industry is delighted to welcome these modest modernization reforms. They’re not revolutionary, but they’re the green light we’ve been waiting for.

Simon Thomas

Thomas applauded the DCMS for submitting this proposal which outlines crucial and “quite complicated regulatory changes” in a clear and concise way.

UK Gambling Participation Drops 33116s

In the meantime, a recent survey suggested that gambling participation in Great Britain has taken a noticeable dip. Compiled by the National Centre for Social Research, the recent study suggested that in the three months covering September 2024 and January 2025, 46% of adults engaged in a form of gambling. This figure represented a decline of 3%

Global gaming giant MGM Resorts has watched the efforts to regulate casinos in Thailand from the front seats, hoping to capitalize on emerging opportunities in the country. As these efforts progressed, the company encouraged local authorities to adopt a competitive casino tax.

Thailand Casinos Inch Closer to Reality 4q364m

Thailand recently warmed up toward the idea of casinos, making quick strides toward the legalization of integrated resorts.

Thai authorities have previously expressed optimism about the future of casino gaming, saying that they could potentially rival Singapore and open the first Thai resort before MGM Osaka goes live.

Despite pushback from those fearing that casino gaming would do more harm than good, the efforts have progressed, attracting the attention of international companies, such as MGM.

MGM has previously expressed confidence that Thailand could become a top market. Now, the company, which is prepared to invest between $3 billion and $5 billion in a casino in Bangkok, has warned that a sensible tax rate would be a must.

MGM Urges Thailand to Consider the Competition 363b6c

As reported by the Bangkok Post, MGM Resorts believes that Thailand should adopt a tax rate that is competitive with Singapore, if the country is to achieve the success it envisions.

Ed Bowers, the company’s president of global development spoke with the Post, saying that Thailand should keep nearby casino regions in mind when determining its casino tax. He pointed out that Macau and Japan boast tax rates of 40% and 30%, respectively, while Singapore has an average GGR tax of 17%.

According to Bowers, Thailand should also consider allowing locals to play, warning that keeping the casinos open to foreign players only could fail to achieve the dramatic success the Thai government counts on. He cited South Korea’s foreigner-only casinos as a warning, noting that some of them have been encountering financial trouble.

Japan, on the other hand, is planning to collect a tax of approximately $40 from locals wishing to enter the MGM Osaka casino. Bowers didn’t disagree with this approach but warned that Thailand should make sure that the entry fee doesn’t dissuade players from gambling.

Bowers Says Regulated Gaming Will Benefit Thailand 104e35

Bowers also addressed the potential safer gambling benefits of allowing locals to play, arguing that access to a legal alternative would shield some consumers from the dangers of unlicensed operators. At the same time, casino taxes would fuel a variety of government initiatives, including education and problem gambling .

Bowers further argued that additional benefits would be thousands of new jobs, which would be a strong economic stimulus.

Bowers teased MGM’s plans for Thailand, saying that his team would prefer to have its casino occupy 5-10% of the total resort area. He praised the government for capping the total casino area to 10%, which is more than what Japan and Singapore allow.

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Caesars Entertainment Reveals New Game 4q2a18

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A former employee at [Read more…] about Ex-Miccosukee Casino Employee Arrested for Alleged Theft

According to police in the Philippines, two casino junket operators have allegedly received and transferred $3.6 million in ransom money paid by the family of a kidnapped Chinese businessman, Congyuan Guo, who was later found dead.

Businessman Found Dead Despite $3.6M Being Paid 3f6n

Also known as Anson Tan or Anson Que, the affluent leader of Ellison Steel, a company that supplies steel to the construction and infrastructure sectors in the Philippines, was reported missing along with his driver, Armanie Pabillo, on March 29. The following day, a ransom note was sent to Guo’s family. 

However, on April 9, the bodies of the two men were discovered abandoned on the side of a road in a rural area northeast of Manila. They had been stuffed into nylon bags, with their heads wrapped in duct tape. Authorities reported signs of torture. Police now suspect that the kidnappers never intended to negotiate and that the ransom was simply a diversion. 

According to Brigadier General Jean Fajardo of the Philippine National Police (PNP), the junkets, 9 Dynasty Group and White Horse Club, funneled the money into multiple crypto wallets before it was converted into cryptocurrency. At least five individuals are said to have received the money from the two junkets before it was converted into cryptocurrency, with two of them already in custody. Authorities have stated that they are preparing to file charges against the executives of both junket operations, including money laundering, conspiracy to commit kidnapping, and violations of e-commerce laws.

What Could Have Motivated This? 3j3944

A source familiar with the case described the killers’ motive as one of “punishment.” Guo was involved in a $20 million online gambling deal that fell through. His partners requested a refund, but he was unable to make the payment. The Manila Times suggested that this was a message to not cross the wrong people, or else you would meet a gruesome end. 

However, Philippine police have already apprehended several people related to the crime. Among them is David Tan Liao, who is thought to have known Guo personally and is suspected of being the mastermind behind the scheme. Two other individuals have been identified but are still at large at the time of writing of this article.

Thailand’s Prime Minister, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, has shared details about new verification and screening processes that may apply at Thailand’s casinos. The country is now tinkering with the idea of running KYC and AML checks on land-based customers, and foreign nationals in particular, adding to a previous suggestion that would have needed for any local entering the casino floor to have an outsized fixed deposit in their bank.

KYC and AML Checks May Be Necessary for Future Casino Players from Abroad 234r2m

The previous measure has been criticized as highly impractical, and the new one appears to be similarly restrictive and demanding.

Wealth and criminal background checks for international visitors are good in theory, as they would put Thailand’s fledgling gambling industry on a firm footing and avoid some of the mistakes committed by other jurisdictions, including Australia, whose casino giants have been plagued by regulatory scrutiny due to a poor record in keeping criminals away.

The practicality of such measure, though, would be a challenge to implement in practice, as it is yet unclear what means casinos would have to use to ensure that an individual is not a criminal.

Another issue stems from the fact that wealth checks are generally frowned upon in most of the world, and a person coming to gamble in Thailand’s future casinos may be loath to disclose financial information to the casino.

However, the Prime Minister has remained unfaltering in her commitment to see the project through. Speaking at Empowering Thais, she said:

“Entertainment complexes will not lead Thailand to its worst vices. Developed countries like Singapore, the US, Japan, and the UAE follow this global trend. They know that sand, sun, and sea are not enough any longer. There must be manmade. We don’t want Thailand to miss the trend.”

Thai PM Paetongtarn Shinawatra

Paetongtarn was referring to the fact that many of Thailand’s regional neighbors have already been offering casino gaming and entertainment, and that these complexes are an important part of a broader economic strategy.

Opposition Still Firm, Government Busy Handling Tariffs 5g1z2j

However, opposition has proliferated. Academics have pointed out that Thailand is historically bad at regulating industries that are prone to corruption and that gambling could lead to high levels of money-launderings, something that the current istration must be paying attention to given the decision to at least consider the implementation of draconian AML and KYC checks for foreign patrons.

On the other hand, ensuring that only legitimate people enter gaming floors is a sign that Thailand is not betting purely on the casino floors at all. Rather, the emphasis is on developing the entire resort. Fears about the feasibility, perceived economic windfall, and morality of such projects remain.

Critics though will be happy to hear that the government has put efforts to push through with the legislation needed to establish casinos on the backburner due to the immediate issues that have to do with the US-led tariffs against the rest of the world.