Cambodia Targets Licensed Casinos in Anti-Scam Push

Cambodian authorities are preparing to broaden their yearlong crackdown on cybercrime by targeting licensed casinos suspected of providing cover for illicit online activities.

The next phase of enforcement is expected to focus on casinos that may be involved in online scams or gambling. Authorities are seeking to address gaps that could allow criminal operations to function behind legitimate business structures.

Senior Minister Chhay Sinarith outlined the planned expansion during an interview on Wednesday evening on the sidelines of an anti-scam conference in Phnom Penh. He said action against casinos should form part of the next stage of enforcement, noting that licensed businesses can potentially provide a legal cover for illicit operations.

According to Chhay Sinarith, authorities therefore need to introduce tighter restrictions alongside stronger management and inspection measures at casino properties.

Casino Audits Extend Enforcement Efforts

The move comes after Cambodia said it had dismantled all large-scale scam compounds operating within the country following an enforcement campaign that resulted in the deportation of thousands of foreign nationals.

Over the past year, authorities have conducted raids at hundreds of locations. State media reported that all 195 licensed casinos across Cambodia were audited, with several subsequently suspended because of links to illicit activities.

The country’s casino and property development landscape began changing more than a decade ago amid Chinese gaming investment and property speculation. The later ban on online gambling, followed by the COVID-19 pandemic, weakened tourism and contributed to criminal syndicates converting resorts, condominiums and casinos into large-scale scam compounds.

The latest enforcement phase is intended to prevent such properties from being repurposed for fraudulent activities.

Auditing every licensed casino represents a major part of the government’s effort to distinguish legitimate gaming businesses from establishments connected to cybercrime. The suspension of several casinos indicates that authorities have already taken action against properties considered non-compliant.

Authorities Examine Criminal Financial Networks

The casino crackdown is being accompanied by wider investigations into the financial structures connected to suspected scam operations.

Chhay Sinarith said investigators are examining corporate holdings and subsidiary networks associated with alleged scamming groups, including conglomerate Prince Group. Its chairman and alleged scam mastermind Chen Zhi was arrested in Cambodia and returned to China in January.

The minister said criminal proceeds are frequently moved through legitimate businesses, making financial investigations an important part of efforts to identify and dismantle these networks.

Authorities are currently investigating around 30 Prince Group subsidiaries, as well as offshore assets in Singapore, the US and the UK.

The focus on corporate structures and overseas holdings reflects the complexity involved in following the financial activity of cybercrime groups. Investigating these networks and offshore accounts is intended to help establish the wider extent of the financial crime involved.

Human Rights Concerns Remain

Human Rights Watch deputy Asia director Bryony Lau has called for stronger measures to protect people released from cyberscam operations.

Lau said Cambodian authorities need to ensure effective screening and identification of trafficking victims freed from cyberscams. Her comments highlight the human impact associated with the criminal operations in addition to their financial consequences.

She also called for abusive camps to be prevented from returning to Cambodia through an independent and transparent investigation into ruling party lawmakers and influential businessmen suspected of being behind cyberscams.

Licensed Casinos Face Greater Scrutiny

The planned focus on licensed casinos represents the next stage of Cambodia’s broader anti-scam campaign.

By examining establishments that may be using legitimate licences as cover for illegal activity, authorities aim to address potential gaps that could allow criminal operations to continue.

Casinos are expected to face stronger inspection and management requirements as part of the effort. The objective is to ensure licensed properties comply with the law and are not used to facilitate online fraud or other illicit activities.