Game industry act faces major revisions

The draft amendment of the Game Industry Promotion Act is back to square one as it faces major revisions, raising concerns over further delays to the law's implementation.

Kittipong Prucksa-aroon, president of the Thailand Game Software Industry Association, said the original draft, prepared by the Digital Economy Promotion Agency under the previous government, had already completed two rounds of public hearings before being substantially revised by current Digital Economy and Society (DES) Minister Chaichanok Chidchob.

The latest changes cover several key provisions, including the scope of the proposed legislation and the composition of committees responsible for overseeing and promoting the industry.

The extent of the revisions means the bill will have to restart much of its drafting and legislative process.

One significant change is the proposed expansion of the legislation beyond electronic games to cover other forms of gaming, including board games, card games and e-sports, which are now being considered for inclusion.

The association has also raised concerns over the governance structure proposed in the original draft, particularly the dominance of government representatives on the main committee responsible for promoting the gaming industry.

Under the original proposal, the Gaming Industry Promotion Committee would comprise 27 members, including 20 government representatives and seven private sector representatives.

This would give the public sector a two-thirds majority, leaving the industry with only one-third of the seats.

Mr Kittipong said the association believes the arrangement would undermine meaningful private sector participation in policy formulation and industry development.

It has therefore proposed a more balanced structure, with equal representation between the public and private sectors, representing a 50:50 ratio.

The association has also suggested streamlining the committee structure.

The original draft envisaged at least four committees, including the main Gaming Industry Promotion Committee, as well as sub-committees overseeing the industry development fund, regulatory matters and registration and control.

Under the association's proposal, the additional sub-committees should be dissolved, with only the fund committee retained alongside the main committee.

Another major issue is the proposed establishment of a dedicated fund to support the development of Thailand's gaming industry.

Mr Kittipong said incorporating a fund into the legislation would require additional scrutiny and consideration by the Ministry of Finance, adding another layer of complexity to the legislative process.

The fund mechanism would therefore make the bill more complicated than a conventional industry promotion law, potentially extending the time required for government review and approval.

Even if the drafting and revision process can be completed soon, the bill would still need to undergo another round of public hearings before being submitted to the relevant ministries and subsequently forwarded to the cabinet for consideration.

It would then have to proceed through the parliamentary legislative process before becoming law.

Given these procedural requirements, the association estimates that enactment could take at least another two years.

The prolonged process risks delaying the establishment of a clear regulatory and promotional framework for Thailand's gaming industry, at a time when the sector is seeking greater institutional support, stronger policy coordination and a more conducive environment for business development and investment.

DES Minister Chaichanok Chidchob said Thailand's digital content market commands an overall value exceeding 50 billion baht, with the gaming sector accounting for 37 billion baht, with significant room for further expansion.

The ministry is advancing the Game Industry Promotion Act to establish systemic mechanisms that support the industry across its entire value chain, he added.