For foreign players only
Myanmar may be the next Asian nation to introduce casino gaming, says Union Minister for Hotels and Tourism Ohn Maung.
“Although casinos are banned under the current gambling law, the concerned ministry has no objection against them,” Ohn Maung said. “After the law is revised, they will be allowed.”
According to Inside Asian Gaming, the minister first discussed the possibility of legalizing casino gaming at a meeting of the Central Committee for the Development of the National Tourism Industry in December 2017.
Mingaladon Constituency MP Aung Hlaing Win agreed that the introduction of casinos will “generate income from foreign tourists.”
“There are very good businesses in Macau and Singapore,” he said. “Our country has large sum of foreign debt that we need to pay back. We need to find solutions to make money for the debt. Casinos could be a major source of income.”
The Myanmar Times reported in December that officials from Mandalay, Tanintharyi, Shan, Kayin and Mon met with Vice President U Henry Van Thio and tourism chief U Yan Win, chairman of the Myanmar Tourism Federation, to discuss the possibility. The ministers pointed out that tourism to Myanmar from Western and European countries is down 10 percent to 15 percent while Asian markets including Japan, China and South Korea have seen a 20 percent spike.
“Most ASEAN countries legally allow casino gambling but it is still illegal in our country. That is why many chief ministers sought permission to operate casinos in hotels,” U Yan Win told the Times. “The vice president didn’t respond yet but it may happen later on.”
Tourism advisor U Khin Zaw added, “If they open up casino gambling in hotels, foreign tourists’ arrival and income would increase. But they should systematically restrict the law for local people. Casino gambling for tourists has a more positive impact than a negative one and we have submitted our requests to the relevant authorities. I hope they will consider it since operating casinos for tourists has many potential upsides for industry.”
Though the country’s 1986 Gambling Law bans casinos, many illegal gaming halls reportedly operate in hotels in the Tanintharyi Region and Shan State near the borders of Thailand and China. TTR Weekly, a travel publication, noted thatU Yan Win has called for foreigners-only casinos in the republic formerly known as Burma.
In May 2015, the Myanmar Times reported that a Singapore-based firm was close to signing a contract to develop a US$1.2-billion project, including a casino, on Myanmar’s Mergui Archipelago.
