Myanmar Government Becomes More Open to Casinos

Many will be thrilled to hear that the Myanmar government is becoming more open to permitting casinos within the country, due to the fact that the government wants to boost the level of tourism within the country. The Eleven Media Group recently shared that the Myanmar government is seriously looking into the installment of casinos within main resorts on the island. The catch, well the casinos will only be open to foreigners and not to citizens of Myanmar.

Why Is the Country Considering This?

Eleven Media Group shared that the main reason for this unprecedented decision is the fact that tourism from Western countries fell significantly last year, The Minister of Tourism and Hotels Ohn Maung stated that the government in Myanmar is not anti-casino, and they are open to casinos so long as they will aid in boosting the number of international tourists in the group. However, an old law, known as the Gambling Law, which was established back in 1986, forbids casinos being erected within Myanmar. Therefore, many within government have begun appealing for this particular law to be amended if not revoked entirely.

The main reasons given by the proponents for this bid are that the erection of casinos will not only be a creator of significant tourism but also a creator of significant revenue. The proceeds of this revenue could be used to help pay off the significant amount of debt the country has accumulated thus far, in this way the country could free itself from the burden of international debt much faster.

The hopes that casinos could become a permanent feature of the entertainment scene in Myanmar began this past December where representatives of multiple regions came together to propose casinos being added to the portfolios of hotels within the country. Casinos are currently not permitted within the country of Myanmar, however, it is possible for you to obtain a license for an offshore site where activities can take place. However, there are illegal sites currently operating and continuing to crop up within the Tanintharyi Region and the Shan State.

The hope amongst many government officials is that by erecting legal casinos there will be serious pushback against the profits of these unmanaged areas and that it will also give the government greater knowledge of what goes on within the casino walls. Additional benefits that the ministers have listed is that casinos can help to generate more jobs for the people of Myanmar and that the casinos will bring forth a boost to the economy.