Cambodian authorities raided the 8 Park resort compound in Prey Veng province in February 2026, arresting several suspected ringleaders and their management team and seizing all communications and IT equipment, according to Hay Makara, a member of the Commission for Combating Technology-enabled Scams (CCTC)1. The crackdown was based on information from China's Ministry of Public Security, the US Federal Bureau of Investigation and tips from individuals who had fled the compound, he said1.
The compound sits in Kra Bao commune, Kamchay Mea district, covers about 120 hectares and was built over roughly two years, with construction beginning in 2023 and operations starting in 20251. It contained residential blocks, offices, a market and shops, with a casino at its center, and at one point was home to an estimated 20,000 people1. About 20,000 people who had been working there left voluntarily after the raid, Makara said1.
The site was sealed off and placed under 24-hour surveillance while legal proceedings continue, and the seized equipment was stored in Phnom Penh1. Makara said the buildings and all assets at the site could be subject to court-ordered confiscation1. Authorities have said the compound was linked to business networks and individuals associated with Chen Zhi, founder of Prince Holding Group, and Li Xiong, former chairman of Huione Group; both men have been arrested and deported to China, where they were reportedly wanted over transnational criminal activities linked to online scams1.
Seng Hieng, a deputy prosecutor at the Phnom Penh Municipal Court, said all cases involving the compound remain under investigation and the court may need additional time to identify those involved and determine their legal responsibility, although a number of individuals have already been arrested and appeared before the courts1. Prey Veng provincial governor Sourn Somalin said local authorities had not known in advance that the site was being used for online scam activities, and that the unnamed owner had presented plans for a residential and integrated development1.
"At first, we were happy with the plans for the development. But later on when the authorities strengthened combatting online scams, we found out that this place was not what we thought it was."
Around 60 domestic and international journalists toured the compound on September 21, 2026, the first time authorities granted access to the site1. Only scattered office furniture and beds remained at the time of the visit1. The tour came two days before an international conference on combating technology-facilitated scams in Phnom Penh on September 23-241.
What it means for players
The 8 Park site is described as an online scam operation with a casino at its center, not a licensed venue open to the public1. Cambodia's gambling rules for ordinary players are unchanged by the raid, and no source reports any effect on licensed casinos, betting or online gambling services. People in Cambodia, including expats and visitors, should treat unsolicited job offers or investment pitches tied to large enclosed compounds as a known risk area; the guide to scam compound towns sets out where such sites have operated across the region, and the Cambodia scams page covers fake casino sites and gambling fraud. General reporting routes are listed in the Asia scams and safety guide. For the legal position on gambling in the country, see Can I gamble in Cambodia? and, for the border, Can I gamble in China?.
What happens next
All cases involving the compound remain under investigation, and the court may need more time to identify those involved and determine their legal responsibility1. The buildings and assets could be subject to court-ordered confiscation1. An international conference on combating technology-facilitated scams was scheduled for Phnom Penh on September 23-24, 20261.
