Cambodian PM: casinos not allowed in Kampot and Kep provinces

Hun Manet said any new casinos should be opened on Cambodia’s border.

Cambodia.- Prime minister Hun Manet has stated that the provinces of Kampot and Kep are prohibited from granting casino licences. He said that if they wish to allow a casino, they must seek permission to do so at a border location.

Speaking during the launch of the Kampot Multi-Purpose Port, Manet said an investigation had been conducted into the application for a casino licence in Kampot and pointed out that only one casino was permitted at the border, in Bokor.

According to the Khmer Times, he said any interest in investing in casinos should be directed to the border area in Prek Chak. He said he would not prohibit the issuance of hotel licences in either province.

In March, Manet urged investors to reconsider or halt investments in the country’s gambling sector at a meeting with Cambodians in Australia and New Zealand. According to a local media outlet, Manet said the government aims to suspend the issuance of new gambling licences and reduce or revoke existing ones due to the industry’s perceived lack of societal benefits. He said the country needed to focus on building factories and creating employment opportunities to boost the economy and improve living standards.