Casino gambling will become legal in Myanmar in May when the nation’s 2018 Gambling Law is set to take effect. Select hotels around the country will be able to add casino operations under the new law. However, Myanmar residents will not be permitted to gamble at the new venues.
Under the new law, only foreign visitors of Myanmar will be able to gamble at the local casinos. To prevent nationals from gambling, the venues will require passport identification.
There are several operational gambling venues of this type on remote islands and border areas, including in the self-administered zones of Kokant and Wa.
The new Gambling Law will aim to curb unregulated operations, to create a tax revenue source from legal gambling services, and to boost the local tourism industry. However, it is yet to be determined whether the new rules and regulations would apply to already existing casinos in self-administered zones.
