Worries Mount in Chonburi as Claw Machines Continue to Mushroom Despite Potential to Groom Children into Gambling Behaviors

The concern intensified after Nakhon Nayok police recently seized 77 coin-operated claw machines following complaints that they were enticing youth into gambling.

A new wave of worries is rolling into Chonburi as electronic claw machine arcades, often standing as a guise for a deeper concern, continue to sprout rapidly across Banglamung district—sparking worries about their potential to groom children into gambling behaviors.

The concern heightened further after Nakhon Nayok police recently seized 77 coin-operated claw machines following complaints that they were used to induce youth into gambling. The raid, on April 23, found no owner present and confirmed the machines were being used without proper authorization.

However, on April 24, reporters observed a widespread presence of similar machines throughout Banglamung—including Pattaya City, Nongprue, Huai Yai, and other areas under four police jurisdictions.

These machines, standing in shopping malls, gas stations, community areas, and even educational institutions, had no owners present. Some venues, like a small shopfront in Pattaya, converted the entire space into an air-conditioned arcade-style business with over 10 machines. Children and teenagers were seen playing, some arriving alone.

These arcades also use promotions like free coins for social media likes and a gold necklace prize for high spending. Item values are stated, and one banner had the warning “This is not a playground. Please do not disturb other customers.” Despite these measures, minors were seen using the machines in large numbers.

While claw machines fall under Prohibited Gambling Type B, Item 28 of the 1935 Gambling Act, which requires licensing and can carry penalties of up to 2 years in jail or a 2,000 baht fine, enforcement seems lax in Banglamung. This contrasts starkly with the swift crackdown in Nakhon Nayok, leaving residents perplexed by the apparent double standards.

Now that the government has successfully removed openly sold e-cigarettes from the area, locals are calling for similar efforts to tackle these machine arcades. They are urging authorities to step in quickly and prevent potential long-term social harm among Chonburi’s youth.