Cambodia's Ministry of Interior said an eight-day nationwide crackdown closed more than 90 percent of illegal gambling dens, with officers continuing to suppress remaining operations and to educate the public about the dangers of gambling1. Sok Phal, secretary of state of the Ministry of Interior and head of the national working group to crack down on illegal gambling, gave the figure at a September 30 meeting in Sihanoukville with Preah Sihanouk province governor Kuoch Chamroeun1.
"We all know that we have busted hundreds of places, and now gambling has died out, with more than 90 percent of illegal dens closed down. Despite this, there are still a few locations running their businesses, so we will cooperate with the authorities of Preah Sihanouk and other provinces to shut them down."
The Preah Sihanouk Provincial Administration said a ministry team working with provincial authorities raided five illegal gambling sites in Sihanoukville and identified multiple foreign suspects1. More than 1,000 foreigners of 10 nationalities were held on suspicion of human trafficking, prostitution, online gambling and breaching immigration laws1. The administration said the working group would continue to inspect all locations suspected of unlicensed use and take strict legal action against business owners wherever crimes are discovered1.
In a separate inspection on October 1, Men Eng, deputy governor of Svay Rieng province, led a team to examine a venue called Bak Sey Keila inside the New World Casino in Bavet City after reports that it hosted cockfighting games and online poker and allowed Cambodians to gamble1. Eng said the casino holds a valid casino license until 2026 issued by the General Secretariat of the Cambodian Gambling Management Commission1. He said the cockfighting was not played by Cambodians as reported, and that the manager of the bird sport venue confirmed Cambodians were not allowed to play but that Cambodian staff were employed there1.
Phnom Penh Deputy Governor Khliang Huot said all stakeholders must unite to crack down on illegal gambling and illegal pawnshops, calling illegal pawnshops a source of crime and gambling that affects the livelihoods of low-income people1. He said non-participation or neglect by authorities would be considered conduct that disrespected the public, and that pawnshops accepting stolen goods or items with insufficient documentation in Toul Kork's Khang Romsev and other locations in Phnom Penh must be eliminated1.
What it means for players
The reported closures apply to illegal, unlicensed operations, not to venues holding a valid license. The New World Casino in Bavet City was found to hold a license valid until 2026, and the inspection did not result in a finding against it1. For anyone gambling in Cambodia, the practical dividing line described in the reporting is licensing: unlicensed sites were raided, while a licensed casino was allowed to continue operating1. The crackdown also swept up more than 1,000 foreign nationals on suspicion of offenses including online gambling and breaching immigration laws, so the enforcement extended beyond operators to people present at the sites1. The reporting does not state how many of those held were later charged, released or deported, and it does not list the 10 nationalities involved1. Cambodia's rules on what gambling is legal, and on the use of offshore sites, are set out in our guides to gambling laws in Asia, offshore gambling sites and gambling in Cambodia.
What happens next
Sok Phal said the ministry will cooperate with authorities in Preah Sihanouk and other provinces to shut down the few locations still operating1. The working group will continue to inspect locations suspected of unlicensed use and take legal action against owners where crimes are found1. No end date for the campaign has been reported1.
Sources1 sources
- '90 per cent' of gambling closed down, says official - Phnom Penh Post, phnompenhpost.com
