Cambodian government urges tougher provincial action against illegal gambling

A government member called on authorities in each province to tighten their measures against illegal gambling.

Cambodia.- The Cambodian government has urged authorities in each province to step up their measures to combat unlicensed gambling. According to the Khmer Times, Ros Phearun, secretary general of the Cambodian Gambling Management Committee of the Ministry of Economy and Finance, urged authorities to shut down illegal gambling in cafes and shops.

He noted that 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.

General Khieu Sopheak, a spokesman of the ministry of interior, added: “I think most of the illegal gambling takes place at the commune level, and if the people cooperate with the authorities to report and provide information on the location of the illegal gambling, we can shut them.”

Last September, Cambodia renewed its existing cooperation agreement on cross-border gambling with China. Cambodia banned online gambling when the first agreement was signed in March 2019. Authorities have also signed a memorandum of understanding with Thailand to tackle online gambling operators and call-centre scammers.