Thailand's Prime Minister and Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has formally revoked a previous Government order that had legalized poker games, reinstating a nationwide ban on the activity.
The decision reverses Interior Ministry Order No 2253/2568, issued on 30 July by former Interior Minister Phumtham Wechayachai, which had classified poker as a legal recreational sport.
Anutin signed the new order on Wednesday, declaring it effective immediately.
In his statement, Anutin cited the administration's policy agenda announced on 29 September, which pledged to crack down on all forms of gambling and maintain Thailand's ban on betting businesses.
The statement reaffirmed that "the administration will not support any form of legal gambling businesses, including casino entertainment complexes."
Anutin emphasised that poker, despite being promoted as a skill-based game, remained under the legal definition of gambling.
"Poker games are considered a form of gambling," the order stated, confirming the government's decision to rescind the earlier legal recognition.
The reversal represents one of the first major policy moves by the new government since Anutin's appointment as Prime Minister in September.
His administration has taken a conservative approach to gaming and casino-related developments, signalling a departure from recent discussions surrounding potential entertainment complexes.
Anutin's election as Prime Minister earlier this year followed his long-standing opposition to casino legalization. As leader of the Bhumjaithai Party, he has frequently voiced resistance to policies promoting commercial gambling, despite growing interest from investors and legislators in using casino development as an economic driver.
During his tenure as Deputy Prime Minister, Anutin said that any entertainment complex policy must comply with legal and moral standards and support the economy, while reiterating that differing views within his party did not represent its official stance.
The latest decision to reimpose the poker ban underscores the Government's commitment to maintaining a strict regulatory stance on gambling activities in Thailand.
Thailand's gambling laws remain among the strictest in Southeast Asia, with state-run lotteries and horse racing the only legal forms of betting
