The General Secretariat of the Cambodian Gambling Management Commission has cracked down on 23 more illegal gambling advertisers, the Khmer Times reported on March 17, 2024. The secretariat said it had seen the illegal casino and online gambling ads on Facebook and Telegram1.
The secretariat named the 23 sites: AA sino, The Best Wandering Soul, Slot Balance-998, Shop Leadership I, Sophon, BJ88, KHM 777, Share News-VIP, Live Filipino Cock, Casino Entertainment, Dynasty Online, Tribute Media, Go Go Fun, PlayCam VIP, AI2888kh, FAFABet789, Entertainment Club 96, UFun Media, KH778 Top Online Game Forum, QKA96online, MAHA9, Go Camplay And and Quick Vava1.
It said all of the sites violate the Gambling Control Act and the Gambling Suppression Act1. The report did not state what the crackdown involved in practice, such as whether the sites were blocked, whether anyone was charged, or whether any fines were issued. Those details have not been reported1.
The secretariat said the advertisers have had a serious impact on the security, order, morality, society and livelihood of the people1.
"The competent authorities have been monitoring, researching and cracking down on gambling advertisers, operators, players and those involved in illegal gambling."
The report did not say how many advertisers have been named in earlier rounds, or how the 23 were identified. It also did not give a date for when the ads were seen or when the crackdown took place1.
What it means for players
Cambodia's gambling law sets out what is licensed and what is not, and the secretariat's statement treats advertising by unlicensed casino and online gambling operators as a breach of the Gambling Control Act and the Gambling Suppression Act1. For anyone in Cambodia, the practical effect of a naming list is that the brands on it are ones the regulator has publicly flagged as illegal advertisers, which is separate from whether a site holds a license to take bets.
The named sites are advertising channels and page names rather than a list of licensed operators, and the report does not say which underlying casinos or betting platforms, if any, sit behind them1. Players who see casino or betting promotions on Facebook or Telegram in Cambodia have no confirmation from this announcement that the advertiser is licensed, and the regulator's own position is that these 23 are not compliant1.
For expats and visitors, the same applies: the announcement concerns advertising and the law it is said to breach, not the terms, payouts or safety of any individual product. Anyone checking whether an operator is licensed can use the regulators and licensing guide to see which bodies license what, and the fake casino sites and gambling scams page covers how unlicensed promotions are typically presented. Help and self-exclusion options in Cambodia are set out separately in the gambling help guide.
What happens next
The report gives no timetable for further action and does not say what the crackdown consists of beyond the naming of the 23 advertisers1. It states only that competent authorities have been monitoring, researching and cracking down on gambling advertisers, operators, players and those involved in illegal gambling1. No court dates, charges or follow-up announcements are reported1.
Sources1 sources
- 23 more illegal gambling advertisers cracked down on, khmertimeskh.com
