Amnesty International published a 150-page report, titled Falling Through the Cracks: Cambodia's "Crackdown" on Scamming Compounds, saying Cambodia's campaign against online scam operations failed to dismantle most trafficking-linked compounds and left victims without adequate protection or support1. The report follows Amnesty's June 2025 investigation, which documented widespread slavery, human trafficking, forced labor and torture at more than 50 scam compounds across Cambodia1.
Cambodia launched what it described as its largest-ever campaign against online scam operations in July 2025, and authorities have since announced the closure of more than 200 scam centers and the arrest of several prominent gang leaders1. Amnesty said more than 70 percent of the scam compounds it identified appear to have been bypassed during the crackdown. Of 86 compounds it identified, evidence of state intervention was found at only 24 locations, and Amnesty also documented mass releases or escapes at seven additional compounds1. The latest research identifies an additional 33 compounds1.
The report includes testimony from 73 survivors from 16 countries who were held in scam centers during the government's crackdown. Amnesty said none of the 73 had been officially recognized as victims of human trafficking, despite the organization concluding that they all met internationally accepted criteria1. The survivors came from countries across Africa, Latin America and Asia, including Bangladesh, Brazil, China, Colombia, Ecuador, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Ghana, Indonesia, Kenya, Liberia, Madagascar, Morocco, Niger, Uganda and Venezuela1. Six women interviewed for the report said they had been subjected to rape or other forms of sexual abuse; five alleged they were raped by managers or team leaders, while one woman from Brazil claimed a manager allowed a group of successful scammers to assault her as a reward1.
Amnesty alleged that police interventions were often ineffective, delayed or undermined by apparent collusion between compound operators and law enforcement officials, and that some compound managers appeared to receive advance warning of police operations, allowing them to move victims and flee before authorities arrived1. Survivors from a compound in Prey Veng province claimed police regularly visited the site, including to remove bodies and socialize with managers, without making arrests1. Amnesty also said an earlier investigation found that a dozen casinos connected to scam operations had received state approval despite the ongoing crackdown, and the new report identifies four additional casinos allegedly linked to compounds involved in scam activities1.
"The Cambodian government has carefully managed the optics of its scamming crackdown, but behind every headline about a compound raid or arrest are survivors of slavery, torture and rape left with almost no support."
The Cambodian government had not responded to Amnesty International's questions regarding the report at the time of publication1.
| Amnesty finding | Figure |
|---|---|
| Compounds identified | 86 |
| Compounds with evidence of state intervention | 24 |
| Compounds with mass releases or escapes | 7 |
| Additional compounds identified in latest research | 33 |
| Survivors interviewed | 73, from 16 countries |
| Survivors officially recognized as trafficking victims | 0 |
| Scam centers authorities say they closed | More than 200 |
What it means for players
The report concerns scam compounds, the operations behind much of the fraudulent gambling advertising, fake betting sites and trafficked workers that people in Cambodia and the wider region encounter. For anyone gambling in Cambodia, the practical relevance is where the money and the pitches come from: Amnesty links a dozen state-approved casinos to scam operations, plus four more in the new report, so a licensed venue is not by itself evidence that the business behind it is clean1. The report also says enforcement has been uneven, with most identified compounds untouched, which means the recruitment and fraud operations feeding these sites have not been shut down1. Details of how compounds operate, where they are located and how to report scams are covered in our guides to what happens to workers inside a scam compound, where scam compounds are and gambling scams and safety in Asia. For the legal position on betting in the country, see Can I gamble in Cambodia?.
What happens next
Amnesty urged Cambodian authorities to investigate all scam compounds and associated businesses, properly identify and assist trafficking victims, and address shortcomings that have hindered enforcement efforts1. No timeline for a government response has been reported.
