Thailand is looking to discipline Facebook and Twitter for not doing their bit to prevent the proliferation of illegal online gambling in the Southeast Asian nation that has historically been conservative when it comes to gambling.
The Thai government filed last week formal complaints against the two social media giants for failing to comply with earlier court rulings ordering them to block online gambling content. Content promoting gambling products or services or related in any other way to gambling is forbidden under Thailand’s Computer Crime Act and Gambling Act.
The Thai government has moved to chastise Facebook and Twitter as part of a wider crackdown on illegal online gambling. Casino News Daily reported on Monday that local lawmakers have warned Thai Internet service providers (ISPs) and telecom operators to block access to more than 1,200 illegal offshore gambling websites and that they have 15 days to do this or otherwise face charges for violating the Computer Crime and Gambling Acts.
The ISPs and telecom operators were required to block the gambling sites under court orders issued earlier in September.
Thai Minister of Digital Economy and Society Buddhipongse Punnakanta said that Facebook and Twitter were issued similar court orders but failed to comply with those within a 15-day period.
Social Media Giants Face Fines for Violations
According to reports from local media outlets, Facebook managed to block just 215 of 661 accounts that featured gambling and other offending content, while Twitter only managed to block four of 69 accounts.
A spokesperson for the Thai police said that the two social media giants face fines of up to THB200,000 (approx. $6,300) and additional daily fines of THB5,000 until they block all offending accounts.
As mentioned above, local ISPs and telecoms are facing pressure to block 1,202 illegal gambling websites or face penalties.
Under Thailand’s Gambling Act from 1935, government-run lotteries and betting on horse races are the only legal gambling activities in the Southeast Asian nation.
News about the government tightening its grip on illegal online gambling operations serving Thai gamblers emerge not long after a local lawmaker called for the legalization of digital gaming and sports betting and of land-based casinos.
Thai Civilised Party leader Mongkolkit Suksintharanon said that reorganizing the local gambling market would create new revenues for the country’s economy, which has been grappling with the fallout caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
Mongkolkit said that online gambling activities are already being conducted in Thailand, but businesses serving Thai customers are not paying any taxes. According to the politician, regulated online gambling activities could generate between THB5 billion and THB6 billion (between $157.6 million and $189.1 million) in annual taxes.
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