A proposal to legalize casinos in Thailand has met with a mixed response from the country’s power brokers.

Earlier this week, a dozen members of the country’s National Reform Council (NRC) proposed authorizing casinos in tourist areas like Pattaya and Phuket to keep Thai citizens from having to cross the border into Cambodia to gamble. The pro-casino group – whose membership has reportedly grown to 25 – also stressed the tax revenue potential of a legal casino market.

The proposal has met with the approval of national police chief Somyot Pumpunmuang, who plans to launch a website to gauge public sentiment on the casino issue. Somyot also suggested a national referendum might not be a bad idea.

Somyot told reporters that he supports the idea of allowing local residents to access the casinos, provided they can demonstrate “strong finances.” However, Somyot suggested that only gamblers from outside the region in which a particular casino is based should be allowed entry. Somyot would also like to see every casino patron photographed and included in a central database of gamblers.