Cambodia grants 13 casino licences

The government from Cambodia has granted 13 casino licences between January and April, 2019, reaching a total of 163 permits.

Cambodia.- The Asian gaming industry grows at a high pace and Cambodia casino licenses are proof. The authorities have granted a total of 13 permits in just the first four months of the year, local media reported.

The new Cambodian casino licences contribute to the total amount of 163 permits. According to an official of the Ministry of Finance in Phnom Penh, Ros Phearun, less than a third are actually operational.

“We have granted a lot of licences, but there are actually only 51 casinos in operation,” he said. “The rest are now being built, while some have halted operations.”

He also explained that there Cambodia issued 91 casino licences for venues in the province of Preah Sihanouk. Said region includes the southern gambling destination of Sihanoukville.

“The rise in the number of casinos reflects the increase in tourists, particularly Chinese,” Mr Phearun explained. Furthermore, he advanced the authorities hope to rake US$70 million in tax revenue from the industry in 2019. That would be far more than the US$46 million they collected last year.

The government official also revealed that a bill to regulate the segment would be sent to the Council of Ministers soon.

“With this law, we hope that to attract more big casino investors and increase revenue from the industry,” Mr Phearun said. “I think that, as a result of this law, revenue collected from the industry will double.”