The reopening came as Cambodia's casino sector was still working through the effects of a 2019 ban on online gambling and the 2020 Law on the Management of Integrated Resorts and Commercial Gambling, known as the LMCG1. Online gambling had been the source of a quarter of the taxes the country collected from casinos, and the ban was followed by the closure of half the casinos in Sihanoukville and the loss of some 8,000 Cambodian jobs1. Casino tax revenue fell from $85m in 2019 to $40m in 20201.
Under the LMCG, casinos inside integrated resorts pay a four percent fee on VIP play and seven percent on mass market guests, while casinos outside integrated resorts pay a flat seven percent, all based on gross gaming revenue1. The Ministry of Economy and Finance began implementing the revenue-based system after it was officially adopted in December 2022, two years after the law passed1. Expected revenue for last year was KHR174.2bn, or US$43.5m1. At the end of last year Cambodia had 86 licensed casinos with another 75 licenses pending1.
Cambodia's casino rules restrict play to foreigners, and minors under 18 are not permitted1. Prime Minister Hun Sen issued a warning in September of last year ordering a strict crackdown on all forms of illegal gambling, with consequences for officials who failed to act and the closure of businesses such as cafes that allowed gambling on their premises1. Authorities subsequently shut down 230 illegal gambling businesses and arrested more than 600 people1.
"Star Vegas Club and Casino in Poipet re-opened to full capacity in June last year"
What it means for players
Cambodia's casinos remain open only to foreign passport holders, so locals cannot gamble legally in them, while expats and visitors can1. The Star Vegas reopening restores a full-capacity option in Poipet, a town on the Thai border that draws cross-border traffic. The 2019 online gambling ban means players should not expect Cambodia-licensed online casino products; the report does not say whether any legal online channel exists1. The September crackdown targeted illegal gambling operations and venues such as cafes that hosted betting, and more than 600 arrests followed, so unlicensed gambling carries active enforcement risk1. The report does not state whether Star Vegas or other Poipet casinos have since changed capacity, hours or entry rules.
What happens next
The report gives no dated next steps for Star Vegas. It notes that under the LMCG casinos must renew their licenses each year, and that casinos have a five-year transition period from this year to change the wording on their signboards from "casinos" to "commercial gambling"1. The Commercial Gambling Management Committee, an 11-member body operating under the Ministry of Economy and Finance, supervises the commercial gaming industry1.
Sources1 sources
- G3 June 2018, g3newswire.com
