Cambodian prime minister Hun Sen instructed all relevant authorities to continue cracking down on illegal gambling in their localities, speaking at the 6th National Interfaith Forum Against Human Trafficking on the morning of Thursday, September 29, 2022, in Phnom Penh1. He said he had agreed to set up an inter-ministerial committee headed by Interior minister Sar Kheng to ensure the effectiveness of the operations1.
The premier said the increase in illegal gambling crimes had challenged the implementation of the Royal Government's safe village-commune policy1. He also drew attention to gamblers who, he said, took advantage of technology during the COVID19 pandemic and used online platforms to run illegal businesses1.
"Samdech has agreed to an establishment of an inter-ministerial committee headed by Interior minister Sar Kheng"
The report did not name specific locations, operators or cases, and gave no figures for arrests, charges or seizures1. The membership of the committee beyond Sar Kheng, its terms of reference and any deadline for its work have not been reported1.
What it means for players
Cambodia's licensed casino industry is a separate matter from the illegal gambling Hun Sen referred to, and the announcement did not change the rules for venues operating under license1. The practical effect falls on unlicensed operations, including online betting run from Cambodia, which the premier singled out as a pandemic-era problem1. For locals, expats and visitors, the statement signals continued enforcement attention on illegal gambling rather than any new permission or prohibition; the background on what is legal in the country is set out in Can I Gamble in Cambodia? and in Gambling Laws in Asia: What Is Legal in 12 Jurisdictions. The regional context for enforcement against online operators is covered in Crackdowns on Offshore Online Gambling Hubs in Asia and Is It Illegal to Use Offshore Gambling Sites in Asia?, with the legal position on online play compared across markets in Is Online Gambling Legal in Asia? The 12 Jurisdictions Compared. People working in the sector can find background in Casino and Online Gambling Job Offers in Cambodia.
What happens next
The inter-ministerial committee headed by Sar Kheng is to be established to carry out the crackdown1. No date has been reported for its formation, no schedule for its operations and no reporting on its findings1.
Sources1 sources
- PM Hun Sen Advises to Continue Cracking Down on Illegal Gambling, m.en.freshnewsasia.com
