TLDR Prime Minister Hun Manet plans to reduce Cambodia’s casino count and tighten licensing standards Over 100 licensed casinos currently operate across the country 72 casinos have closed following a nationwide crackdown on scam operations Online gambling linked to land based casinos will be suspended starting in early October The Commercial Gambling Management Commission is building a new integrity assessment framework
Cambodia’s government is preparing to reduce the number of casinos operating in the country. Prime Minister Hun Manet announced the plan during a public address this week.
He said the country currently has more than 100 licensed casinos. According to the prime minister, that number is too high.
The announcement was reported by the Chinese language outlet Cambodia-China Times. Hun Manet spoke about the issue during remarks made on Wednesday.
He said he has directed relevant authorities to examine how casino licenses are issued. The review will also look at how the total number of casinos can be lowered.
The government’s review will focus on the standards used to approve new licenses. It will also cover the process for renewing existing ones.
Inspections found that some licensed casinos were operating out of very small spaces. Hun Manet said some were running from a single row house.
He said these findings pointed to a need to reassess how casino licenses get approved and renewed.
Nationwide Scam Crackdown Targets Casinos
Cambodian authorities investigated 195 licensed casinos as part of a nationwide crackdown on telecommunications fraud over the past year. The crackdown ran across the country.
At least 72 of those casinos have since closed. The closures came either from license revocation or from operators failing to meet renewal requirements.
The crackdown is part of a wider push by Cambodia to strengthen oversight of its casino sector. It also