Poker in Thailand

The casinos and venues that host the most poker festivals in our database.

Titan Poker Club

Bangkok, Thailand

Festivals

3

Last Festival

Sep 2025

Under the Gambling Act B.E. 2478 (1935) poker is a game that needs Ministry of Interior permission, and a 1958 ministry order effectively banned such permission. On 30 July 2025 the ministry revoked that order so that poker tournaments run as sporting events to promote tourism could be authorised, and the WPT Prime Thailand Exhibition ran in Bangkok that August. On 22 October 2025 Prime Minister and Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul signed Order No. 3179/2568, revoking the July order, so poker can again not be authorised. The Sports Authority of Thailand still recognises poker as a sport, but only in a form with no betting.^{[1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 10, 15]}

• Gambling Act B.E. 2478 (1935): poker needs prior Interior Ministry approval, which is currently not given.
• Interior Ministry Order No. 3179/2568 (22 Oct 2025) revoked the July 2025 order that had allowed tourism poker tournaments.
• The Sports Authority of Thailand (SAT) recognised poker as a sport on 23 July 2025 and in January 2026 said only betting-free competitions fall under it; cash-prize tournaments are not legal.
• Playing Cards Act B.E. 2486 (1943): possessing more than 120 playing cards without an Excise Department seal is an offence.
• Police raid illegal poker games: 52 people, Thai and foreign, were arrested at a Bangkok game in March 2025.
• The Entertainment Complex (casino) bill was withdrawn in July 2025; a May 2026 coalition deal revived the idea, but no new draft had been tabled as of August 2026.

Age: There are no legal casinos and no authorised poker, so no gambling age applies to poker. The government lottery age (reported as 20) was not verified from a primary source.

Online gambling, including online poker, is illegal under the Gambling Act 1935 and can also be prosecuted under the Computer Crime Act. There is no licensed online operator, and an offshore licence does not change a player's legal position in Thailand. The Ministry of Digital Economy and Society had 945,075 gambling web addresses blocked in fiscal 2026 (October 2025 to September 2026).^{[5, 8, 9]}

Licensed online poker

None

Players can be prosecuted

Yes

Sites blocked

Yes

Advertising ban

Yes

• No domestic licensed online poker or casino operator.
• 945,075 gambling links blocked in fiscal 2026, mostly by court order.
• Players can face up to 1 year in prison and/or a fine under the 1935 Act (law firm summary); fines of 5,000 to 200,000 baht and up to five years are cited for online cases by another source.
• Foreigners convicted of gambling offences risk deportation and blacklisting.
• Promoting or advertising unlawful gambling is an offence.

Visa

From 15 September 2026 Thailand cut visa-free tourist stays from 60 to 30 days for about 60 countries, with a 15-day exemption for a few and visa on arrival for only three; others need an e-Visa. All foreign visitors must complete the Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC) online before arrival.

Money

The currency is the Thai baht (THB); ATMs and card payments are widespread in Bangkok.

Casino Entry

Thailand has no legal casinos. Carry your passport, as foreigners caught at illegal games are arrested and can be deported.

Tax on Winnings

We have not confirmed yet how poker winnings are taxed in Thailand. Check with the venue or a tax adviser before you play for large amounts.

The legal answers rest on official sources: laws, regulators, government and courts. News and poker media are marked as secondary sources and are used for the poker scene, not as the only basis of a legal answer.

1. 1.Thailand: Poker recognized as a legitimate sport in Thailand - Baker McKenzie (secondary source), accessed October 28, 2026
2. 2.Thailand: Ministry of Interior reinstates ban on poker in line with government's anti-gaming policy - Baker McKenzie (secondary source), accessed October 28, 2026
3. 3.Thai Poker Reclassification Sparks Criticism, Freezes Sport Activities - Khaosod English (secondary source), accessed October 28, 2026
4. 4.SAT: Poker is Sport, No Gambling; Hails World No. 1 Punnat - The Nation Thailand (secondary source), accessed October 28, 2026
5. 5.Thailand's casino bill is quiet, not dead: where legalisation stands now - The Thaiger (secondary source), accessed October 28, 2026
6. 6.Thailand's casino bill officially on hold after House votes to remove it from agenda - Inside Asian Gaming (secondary source), accessed October 28, 2026
7. 7.Wagering Your Freedom - DFDL (secondary source), accessed October 28, 2026
8. 8.Poker in Thailand: What's Legal and What's Risky - BE Laws (secondary source), accessed October 28, 2026
9. 9.Thailand blocks 945,075 online gambling links in fiscal 2026 - The Nation Thailand (secondary source), accessed October 28, 2026
10. 10.Bangkok Police Raid: 52 Poker Players from 10 Nations Arrested - Khaosod English (secondary source), accessed October 28, 2026
11. 11.Thailand cuts visa-free stay to 30 days for 60 countries - TTG Asia (secondary source), accessed October 28, 2026
12. 12.The revision of Thailand's visa exemption and VoA schemes, 2026 - Royal Thai Embassy, Brasilia, accessed October 28, 2026
13. 13.Thailand Digital Arrival Card: TDAC - Government of Thailand (thailand.go.th), accessed October 28, 2026
14. 14.Free Online Mental Health Counseling - Government of Thailand (thailand.go.th), accessed October 28, 2026
15. 15.Thai Poker Delegation Makes Statement at Poker Dream 20 as TPSA Eyes 2026 Homecoming - PokerNews (secondary source), accessed October 28, 2026