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Cambodia’s playing regulator has revoked the licenses of a number of casinos since April in an ongoing crackdown on on-line rip-off compounds and unlawful playing operations, however authorities have but to announce legal costs in opposition to any on line casino house owners.
The Business Playing Administration Fee (CGMC) reported a minimum of eight on line casino licenses revoked between April and early Might for internet hosting rip-off operations and violating Cambodia’s playing legal guidelines.
Greater than 1,100 principally overseas nationals have been detained in raids over the previous couple of weeks linked to the revocations, whereas authorities seized 1000’s of telephones and lots of of computer systems and displays they mentioned have been utilized in on-line fraud.
The crackdown has left untouched a number of different casinos tied to alleged rip-off and human trafficking networks, together with a minimum of two operated by a agency owned by Cambodian senator Kok An, whom a Senate spokesperson mentioned retained “immunity” after america sanctioned him final month over alleged hyperlinks to the operations. Kok An has denied involvement in rip-off actions.
Rights teams and the U.S. authorities have recognized the properties as hubs for the illicit business, however there have been no official experiences that they have been shut or had their licenses revoked as authorities pursue a public marketing campaign to eradicate rip-off networks following mounting worldwide scrutiny this 12 months.
Rus Phirun, former secretary-general of the CGMC, mentioned he couldn’t touch upon the license revocations or whether or not costs had been introduced in opposition to on line casino house owners, saying he was “not in control of this work anymore.”
CamboJA Information was unable to acquire contact info for Yun Vina, who now holds the place, whereas calls to the CGMC hotline went unanswered.
The eight casinos in Preah Sihanouk, Battambang, Banteay Meanchey and Svay Rieng provinces that had their licenses revoked by the regulator since April embrace Jin Yu Man Tang On line casino, Xin Hao Peak On line casino, Eagle King On line casino, Orchid Resort & Wealthy On line casino, Zhong Huawei Golden Sand Worldwide Leisure and Golden Galaxy On line casino.
Authorities on April 6 additionally revoked the licenses of Gang Dao On line casino in Sihanoukville and Shanghai Resort On line casino in Bavet.
The federal government mentioned it had shut down 91 casinos and greater than 250 on-line rip-off areas between July 2025 and mid-April this 12 months, whereas deporting greater than 13,000 foreigners allegedly concerned within the business, although it didn’t make clear what number of could have been trafficked or coerced.
Casinos, many clustered alongside Cambodia’s border areas, have continuously been recognized as fronts for rip-off compounds. The United Nations has mentioned the compounds within the area generate tens of billions of {dollars} yearly and depends on a minimum of 300,000 staff from dozens of nations, a lot of them trafficked, pressured or coerced into the operations.
Cambodia as soon as had 160 working casinos in 2025, based on the CGMC, most concentrated in Sihanoukville, Bavet and Poipet, cities which have turn into often called hubs for rip-off syndicates.
An Amnesty Worldwide investigation revealed in April alleged that a minimum of 12 licensed on line casino complexes in Cambodia have been straight linked to rip-off compounds the place trafficking victims mentioned they have been subjected to pressured labor, torture, enslavement and different abuses.
The rights group mentioned CGMC accredited or renewed on line casino plans for a number of properties in December and January regardless of proof the compounds operated on on line casino grounds.
Regardless of a senior legislation enforcement official saying the findings could be used for enforcement motion, not one of the casinos named within the report seem to have had their licenses revoked, house owners arrested or operations shut down.
Eagle King On line casino, one of many casinos stripped of its license earlier this month for internet hosting rip-off operations, is operated by TS Chamnong Funding Co. Ltd.
The corporate is chaired by the sister-in-law of former Protection Minister Tea Banh, San Chamnong, based on Ministry of Commerce company information and native media experiences. Its director is Tea Samnamg, reportedly his niece.
Calls to a telephone quantity listed for Chamnong in company information went unanswered, whereas Samnamg’s listed quantity was disconnected.
Chhoeng Chantha, a technical adviser to the regulator, mentioned the company was organizing a crew to deal with media inquiries however didn’t present a timeframe and referred extra inquiries to the establishment’s Telegram channel.
Chantha mentioned no particular person official may reply to questions on efforts to fight rip-off operations as a result of the raids concerned a number of authorities. He added that the regulator couldn’t independently reply to the Amnesty report, however didn’t make clear who had instructed the company to not remark.
“Solely the federal government can reply, and we’re additionally ready. That is solely my private response and doesn’t symbolize the establishment the place I work,” he mentioned.
Contact Sokhak, spokesperson for the Ministry of Inside, didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark.
CGMC mentioned it could proceed cooperating with related authorities to examine and search on line casino premises.
Prime Minister Hun Manet beforehand pledged to get rid of on-line rip-off operations within the nation by the tip of April, although officers later dismissed the deadline as a “rumor” and mentioned the crackdown would proceed indefinitely.
Observers and activists have criticized the enforcement marketing campaign as falling in need of holding alleged syndicate leaders and related officers criminally accountable.
Unbiased political analyst Meas Nee mentioned earlier arrests had largely focused staff inside rip-off compounds, whereas on line casino operators and alleged masterminds had prevented authorized motion.
“Revoking licenses alone just isn’t sufficient,” he mentioned. “Once we discuss on-line crime, we even have to speak about these offering the means and assist for it.”
