Cambodia Revokes Casino Licence Over Fraud Probe

Cambodia’s gambling regulator has revoked the licence of a casino in Bavet after an investigation linked the venue to suspected online fraud activities, marking another development in the country’s ongoing efforts to combat scam-related operations.

The action was taken against Roxy Hotel & Casino, operated by Radiant Pearl Investment Ltd, following an inspection conducted on May 21 by local authorities and Cambodia’s Commission for Combating Online Scams.

During the operation, authorities detained 25 Chinese nationals and confiscated a range of items, including mobile phones, computers, vehicles and surveillance equipment found at the property.

After examining the seized electronic devices, investigators concluded that the casino had allegedly been involved in online fraud activities. Based on those findings, Cambodia’s Commercial Gambling Management Commission moved to cancel the casino’s operating licence.

The investigation has since expanded beyond regulatory action. The gambling regulator has requested information from Cambodia’s Financial Intelligence Unit regarding bank accounts connected to the company’s owners and individuals previously associated with the casino licence. Authorities intend to submit the findings to prosecutors at the Svay Rieng Provincial Court as they assess potential legal proceedings.

The case forms part of a broader campaign targeting businesses suspected of being connected to online scam networks, an issue that has increasingly placed Cambodia’s gaming industry under international scrutiny.

Authorities have spent recent months examining casinos believed to have ties to cybercrime and fraud operations. Several gaming licences have already been suspended or revoked during these enforcement efforts.

According to figures reported by Chinese state media outlet Xinhua, Cambodian authorities have raided more than 250 suspected scam compounds over the past nine months and closed 91 casinos alleged to have links to fraudulent activities.

The latest action comes amid continued scrutiny from human rights groups regarding alleged connections between some casino developments and scam compounds. Earlier this year, Amnesty International published a report claiming that several casino-linked locations were associated with human trafficking, forced labour and other abuses.

Cambodian officials have rejected claims that the country serves as the central hub for these criminal networks. Authorities involved in anti-scam operations argue that many of the technological, financial and management structures behind online scam syndicates are controlled from outside Cambodia.

Nevertheless, the licence revocation highlights the regulator’s continued focus on licensed gaming operators as part of wider efforts to disrupt networks accused of using casino properties to facilitate online fraud activities.