Cambodian authorities launched a nationwide crackdown on illegal gambling on 15 September 2022, following an order from Prime Minister Hun Sen to suppress illegal gambling in the Kingdom1. On 16 September, Hun Sen issued a decision establishing a Gambling Suppression Task Force, chaired by Sok Phal, with a mandate covering planning, measures and guidelines for authorities at all levels1.
Sok Phal said that from 15 September to 1 October, authorities cracked down on more than 9,000 illegal gambling places across all 25 capitals and arrested 13,032 people, including 5,589 females1. The Khmer Times reported that during the 17-day operation, authorities raided and shut down more than 9,000 gambling sites1.
A separate statement from the National Committee for Counter Trafficking (NCCT), issued after a meeting in Phnom Penh chaired by Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Sar Kheng, gave different figures. It said competent authorities had inspected 9,622 suspected locations and taken legal action against 116 illegal gambling sites, arresting 253 people for prosecution2. The NCCT said the nationwide crackdown covered all types of illegal gambling, including lottery, cockfighting, poker and football betting, and dated its launch to 17 September2.
The two accounts differ on the start date, the number of sites acted against and the number of arrests. The Khmer Times reported the crackdown began on 15 September and cited more than 9,000 sites and 13,032 arrests1. The NCCT statement, reported on 8 October, cited 9,622 locations inspected, legal action against 116 sites and 253 arrests, and gave 17 September as the launch date2.
"The competent authorities had inspected 9,622 suspected locations and taken legal action against 116 illegal gambling sites, arresting 253 people for prosecution," it said in a statement.
What it means for players
The operation targeted illegal gambling, which in Cambodia sits alongside a licensed casino sector. The NCCT listed lottery, cockfighting, poker and football betting among the activities covered by the crackdown2. For people in Cambodia, the practical effect is that unlicensed venues and operators faced raids, site closures and arrests during the period covered by the reports1. The reports do not set out which specific venues or operators were licensed and which were not, and they do not describe how the crackdown affected licensed casinos, online operators or players using offshore sites. Those details have not been reported.
The differing figures mean the scale of enforcement is not settled in the public record: one account describes more than 9,000 sites and 13,032 arrests1, while another describes 116 sites acted against and 253 arrests2. The reports do not explain the gap.
What happens next
The sources do not state an end date for the crackdown or any further scheduled steps. The NCCT statement was issued after a meeting in Phnom Penh chaired by Sar Kheng2. No additional phases, prosecutions or policy changes have been reported.
For background on what is legal, see Can I Gamble in Cambodia? and Cambodia's Gambling Law: What Players Can and Cannot Do. For sports markets, see Can I Bet on Sports in Cambodia?. For regional comparison, see Gambling Laws in Asia: What Is Legal in 12 Jurisdictions and Is It Illegal to Use Offshore Gambling Sites in Asia?. For residents betting outside the country, see Gambling Abroad When You Live in Cambodia. For support, see Gambling Help and Self-Exclusion in Cambodia, and for related risks, Fake Casino Sites and Gambling Scams in Cambodia and Casino and Online Gambling Job Offers in Cambodia.
Sources2 sources
- Authorities cracked down on more than 9,000 illegal gambling sites, khmertimeskh.com
- 253 arrested in Cambodia’s illegal gambling crackdown, khmertimeskh.com
