Cambodia: police detect 2,000 illegal gambling operations in Phnom Penh

Police have made 152 arrests in Phnom Penh and Kandal province.

Cambodia.- Phnom Penh police have identified 2,000 illegal gambling businesses and made 152 arrests following an order to launch a crackdown. According to Khmer Timeskh, prime minister Hun Sen said that 700 gambling establishments in Kandal province and 1,000 in Phnom Penh had been identified by the authorities.

He said that if unlicenced lottery companies continued to operate, they would be shut down. He ordered authorities to identify the operators and arrest them so they could be prosecuted. The prime minister said the operations were intended to reduce human trafficking and strengthen security and social order in villages and communities.

Ros Phearun, secretary general of the Cambodian Gambling Management Committee of the Ministry of Economy and Finance, has urged authorities to shut down illegal gambling in cafes and shops. He said such operations were not licensed by the Cambodian Gambling Regulatory Committee ( CEC).

He added that only 60 casinos have gaming licences but that 140 operate in the country, a figure that reflects the growth of illegal gambling. Phearun added that the regulator is identifying different types of illegal games to make it easier for relevant ministries and local authorities to crack down on such businesses.