Cambodia Casinos Halt Online Gambling After September 30 Deadline

24 casinos in Cambodia have stopped their online gambling activities following the September 30 deadline set by authorities. The Commission for Combating Technology-enabled Scams, or CCTC, said the operators had ended their digital gambling services and removed the equipment used to run them.

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The commission warned that casinos found violating the ban could face legal action. Officials said enforcement will continue at the locations already inspected and at other sites across the country to ensure that online gambling activities do not resume.

The CCTC did not identify the 24 casinos or disclose how many of Cambodia’s nearly 200 licensed casinos had previously offered online gambling services. It also did not comment on the country’s earlier 2019 ban on online gambling. 

Casinos Stop Digital Activities

Out of the 24 casinos that discontinued online gambling operations, 12 were situated in Preah Sihanouk. Seven more were found in Banteay Meanchey, while the remaining five were situated in Svay Rieng.

According to the CCTC secretariat, the affected casinos ended their online gambling operations and removed the equipment connected to those services. The activities that were stopped included livestreamed gaming, football betting, online lotteries, and sporting bird competitions.

The inspections were conducted through cooperation between the CCTC, the Commercial Gambling Management Commission of Cambodia, and provincial authorities. Provincial courts also provided procedural coordination during the process of confirming that online activities had stopped at the identified locations.

Authorities said they will continue monitoring the casinos that have been inspected. Other gambling sites across Cambodia will also remain under observation as part of the enforcement effort.

The secretariat said operators who fail to comply with the ban will face action. It said enforcement is intended to support security, public order, and public safety.

Casino Licenses Also Affected

The CCTC secretariat also provided information on separate actions involving casinos connected to online scam investigations. As of September, authorities had revoked the licenses of 18 casinos.

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Another 9 casinos had their licenses suspended while investigations were ongoing. The secretariat did not state whether any of the 24 casinos that stopped online gambling were among the operators whose licenses were revoked or suspended.

The announcement placed enforcement of the online gambling ban within the government’s wider campaign against technology-based scams. However, the CCTC did not accuse the 24 inspected casinos of involvement in scam operations.

There is an ongoing coordination between the authorities and the gambling authority for investigating those casinos that are linked with technology-related fraud. The process includes involvement of various bodies associated with gambling control, law enforcement, prosecution, financial intelligence, and court procedures.

The secretariat said it is working with the Commercial Gambling Management Commission, judicial police, provincial prosecutors and courts, the Cambodia Financial Intelligence Unit, and other relevant authorities.

Monitoring and Investigations Continue

The CCTC said it had worked with other authorities to clear more than 600 locations associated with technology-based scams across Cambodia. The commission said these efforts remain ongoing as it continues to gather information and investigate potential cases.

Authorities are also working to seize assets connected to criminal activities. The secretariat said it is coordinating with relevant agencies as part of this process.

The commission encouraged members of the public, partner organizations, and international institutions to provide information that could assist further investigations. It said authorities would examine all leads received, particularly information involving casinos.

The CCTC’s latest update confirms that at least 24 casinos had ended online gambling activities by the September 30 deadline. Authorities said their monitoring will continue, with legal action possible against operators that do not follow the ban.

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Source: The Phnom Penh Post