Thai Anti-gambling Advocates Back Calls to Remove Snooker from Gambling Classification

(AsiaGameHub) –   Leading Thai anti-gambling campaigners support a movement to eliminate the gambling-associated stigma attached to snooker, though some caution that legal reforms could have unintended negative consequences.

Snooker is currently experiencing a revival in Thailand, largely driven by the success of Thai player Thepchaiya Un-Nooh.

Last month, Un-Nooh claimed victory at the World Open tournament in China.

The Thai star defeated Ronnie O’Sullivan—one of snooker’s most prominent figures—in the final. In late March, he also joined the campaign calling for snooker to be removed from the Gambling Act.

Under the act, snooker is categorized as a “gambling-like activity” rather than a sport. This means most under-18s are barred from playing, and smaller clubs cannot obtain special operating licenses.

Challenges with Snooker’s Gambling Classification

The Sports Authority of Thailand (SAT), Thailand’s top sports body, last month urged the government to revise the act.

The Gambling Act dates back to the mid-1930s.

Snooker qualifies as a sport because it is a skill-based activity with clear rules, said Wasin Pipatnachat, a lawyer and manager at the Public Health Network for Managing Health Risk Factors, according to Thai media outlet Nation TV.

However, Pipatnachat noted that the problem lies in the fact that players and spectators often place bets on snooker match outcomes.

The lawyer added that if the government wants to treat snooker as a sport, all forms of snooker-related betting must be eliminated.

He said this would involve introducing new “legal mechanisms” to “prevent the misuse of snooker for gambling purposes,” he further explained.

Anti-Gambling Activist Calls for Consensus Among All Stakeholders

Thanakorn Komkrit, Secretary-General of the Anti-Gambling Foundation, expressed his support for reclassifying snooker as a sport.

But he pondered: “The question is: ‘What has historically linked snooker to gambling?’”

Komkrit proposed a meeting of “all relevant parties,” including the Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Sports, Sports Authority of Thailand, Snooker Association, professional snooker players, and the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security.

“They should discuss the legal barriers hindering the process and find ways to remove them,” the foundation chief said.

Komkrit stated that a ministerial order is preferable to a legal amendment, as legislation could “potentially turn a minor issue into a major one.”

“The Gambling Act is tied to numerous forms of gambling—perhaps hundreds—and amending it would involve overcoming many hurdles,” he explained. “Many countries clearly separate sports from gambling. If snooker is a sport, it must be registered as a club or sports promotion institution with clear regulations prohibiting gambling, and no age restrictions for minors.”

Thanakorn also suggested the government should “reconsider whether gambling oversight should remain with existing agencies or if a new body should handle it.”

In March, Thai police announced they had “dismantled” the Eu9thaff gambling portal. Officers said they arrested eight people and froze bank accounts the platform operators allegedly used to launder funds.

Detectives also seized cell phones and narcotics during a series of raids.