Thailand to broaden games law to include board games, trading cards

Thailand's Digital Economy and Society (DES) Ministry is undertaking a significant revision of the draft Games Industry Promotion Act. The key objective is to expand the legal definition of 'games' beyond just video games to encompass board games, trading cards, and associated commercial activities. This move aims to reflect the evolving landscape of the gaming industry and its diverse business models.

Minister Chaiwut Thanakamanusorn highlighted that the previous draft focused too heavily on control and regulation rather than fostering industry growth. The revised draft seeks to establish a more appropriate framework that keeps pace with the industry's development. This includes examining how legal definitions can adequately capture emerging structures and business models, such as those involving collectible trading cards, which combine gameplay, competition, and collection.

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The existing draft also fails to adequately reflect the wider structure and business models that have emerged around games.

Furthermore, the ministry intends to create a more conducive environment for local talent. The goal is to encourage Thai game developers and programmers to stay and build their businesses domestically, rather than seeking opportunities abroad. This involves fostering innovation in intellectual property development, drawing examples from countries like Japan and China where strong domestic content and national identity are built upon successful intellectual property.

The revision also addresses the need for Thailand to compete internationally. By supporting the development of games and related products, the ministry hopes to reduce the country's heavy reliance on imported games and intellectual property. The aim is to generate greater economic value domestically and build a stronger foundation for the Thai gaming industry.

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The review will examine whether the legal definition of games should cover not only video games, but also board games, trading cards, and other related businesses.