Phnom Penh Municipality has unveiled a plan ordering systematic inspection of condominiums and densely populated areas suspected of hosting online scam operations, alongside a crackdown on illegal gambling. The plan was announced Monday during a meeting among law enforcement units, authorities from all 14 districts, and government departments at Phnom Penh City Hall1.
Phnom Penh Governor Khuong Sreng, who also chairs the Capital Unified Command Committee, said the plan aims to trace and dismantle online scam operations through designated target locations across the capital. He ordered a clampdown on all forms of illegal gambling, including cockfighting, card games, dice gambling, lottery tail-number betting and illegal lotto operations, saying such activities directly affect the daily livelihoods of citizens1.
"This forward plan involves large-scale implementation with clear location mapping from one district to another, especially in areas where many people live and where there is suspicion. Every condominium and concentrated residential area must be inspected."
The announcement coincides with a new sub-decree issued by the government the previous week to strengthen security management in residential complexes nationwide, with emphasis on overseeing foreign residents. Under the rules, any foreigner entering the country must be registered within 48 hours, and records submitted promptly to local police and administrative authorities. Before allowing a foreigner to reside at a collective residential location under their responsibility, the owner or manager must require documentation proving the foreigner's lawful right to stay in Cambodia. Owners or managers who allow foreigners without authorization to stay face fines of up to four million riels per individual, in addition to potential legal prosecution1.
The plan follows the arrest and extradition last week of Chen Zhi, founder of Cambodia-based conglomerate Prince Group, accused of being a "kingpin" of online fraud operations and other transnational crimes. A day after the Ministry of Interior announced the arrest, the National Bank of Cambodia placed Prince Bank Plc, a banking subsidiary of Prince Group, into liquidation, appointing Morison Kak MKA Audit-Accounting Co Ltd as official liquidator. The auditing firm said Monday that depositors and creditors have a 30-day window to submit claims and supporting documents, in person or through legal representatives, at Prince Bank's headquarters on Preah Monivong Boulevard in 7 Makara district1.
Cambodia arrested 39 foreigners in connection with cyberfraud in the first 10 days of the year, according to the Secretariat of the Commission for Combatting Online Scams. The country last year created a Commission for Combatting Online Scams, a high-level body led by the Prime Minister and tasked with preventing, suppressing and cracking down on cyber fraud1.
| Measure | Detail |
|---|---|
| Foreigner registration on entry | Within 48 hours1 |
| Fine for housing unauthorized foreigners | Up to four million riels per individual1 |
| Prince Bank claim window | 30 days1 |
| Cyberfraud arrests, first 10 days of 2026 | 39 foreigners1 |
What it means for players
The inspection plan targets condominiums and residential clusters, which are also where many expats and visitors stay. Under the sub-decree, building owners and managers must verify a foreign resident's legal right to stay and report suspicious or illegal activity to authorities, so residents may be asked for documentation by landlords or police1.
The gambling crackdown covers cockfighting, card games, dice gambling, lottery tail-number betting and illegal lotto operations. Licensed casino gambling is not named in the plan, and no change to the legal status of Cambodia's licensed casinos has been reported1. People using unlicensed operators, or gambling in venues that also host scam operations, face the enforcement activity described. For background on what is legal, see Can I Gamble in Cambodia? and Fake Casino Sites and Gambling Scams in Cambodia. For reporting routes and how scam operations work, see Gambling Scams and Safety in Asia and Crypto Gambling Scams.
What happens next
The plan calls for large-scale operations in every district, with location mapping from one district to another. No start date, duration or number of inspections has been reported1. Depositors and creditors of Prince Bank Plc have 30 days from Monday to submit claims and supporting documents at the bank's Phnom Penh headquarters1.
