Cambodia: 10 arrested for alleged illegal gambling

Police carried out two raids in Phnom Penh.

Cambodia.- The Cambodian Gambling Management Commission in collaboration with the Anti-Gambling Department of the Ministry of Interior, has raided two locations operating under the 8888 brand in Khan 7 Makara district, Phnom Penh. According to the Khmer Times, authorities found the locations were running illegal lottery operations. 

The news comes in the same week that the government released figures for arrests linked to illegal gambling in 2023. Last year, police conducted 1,786 operations against illegal gambling, leading to the arrest of 3,155 people, including 1,238 women and the arraignment of 700 offenders. That’s according to the Ministry of Interior, which said the operations targeted 712 locations.

Touch Sokhak, the Ministry of Interior spokesperson, said the operations involved arrests, administrative actions such as contract signing and education and inspections at 302 locations. Authorities seized 10 vehicles, 390 motorcycles and 143 fighting roosters. The efforts resulted in the submission of 165 cases involving 710 people to the courts.

Contract signing and education resulted in 1,621 cases and 2,445 people renouncing illegal gaming, including 1,085 women.