Pheu Thai drops casino legalisation push and pivots to wellness tourism ahead of 2026 vote

Thailand’s Pheu Thai Party has formally abandoned its flagship casino legalisation policy, rebranding planned “entertainment complex” zones as wellness and medical tourism hubs in a clear pre-election shift away from gambling-led growth.

Thailand’s Pheu Thai Party, which previously championed the development of casino-anchored entertainment complexes, has confirmed that it is no longer pursuing casino legalisation as part of its economic platform ahead of the 8 February 2026 general election. Party prime ministerial candidate Yodchanan Wongsawat told Japanese outlet Nikkei Asia that the areas once earmarked for integrated resorts with casinos would instead be repositioned as centres for health and medical tourism aimed at attracting foreign visitors.

The move marks a decisive break with the party’s earlier stance under former prime minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, whose government drove the Entertainment Complex Bill through cabinet approval in January 2025 as a way to boost tourism, capture underground gambling spend and generate new tax revenue. That bill was later withdrawn in July 2025 amid growing public opposition, a Senate committee rejection and Paetongtarn’s suspension and removal from office, which together stalled the broader casino project.

By dropping casinos and emphasising wellness tourism instead, Pheu Thai is signalling a recalibrated economic message to voters who have expressed concern over problem gambling and social impacts. A nationwide poll published in early 2025 showed a majority of Thais opposed to casino legalisation and expanded online gambling, even as proponents argued the projects could bring in at least 100 billion baht in investment and lift tourist arrivals by up to 10 per cent.

Analysts note that the new focus dovetails with Thailand’s long-running ambition to position itself as a global medical and wellness hub, a strategy that may be easier to sell politically than large-scale gambling resorts. However, some in the gaming industry caution that, depending on the post-election coalition arithmetic, casino discussions could still resurface in future parliaments if economic pressures intensify and a new government decides to revisit regulated gaming as a revenue source. For now, though, Pheu Thai’s official line is that casinos are off the table, and wellness-led tourism is in.