Cambodia revokes 20 casino licenses in online scam crackdown

Cambodian authorities have revoked 20 casino licenses and suspended 29 others as part of a major crackdown on technology-based scam networks and online fraud. The Secretariat of the Commission for Combating Online Scams (CCOS) reported that all 195 licensed casinos in the country have undergone inspections.

The enforcement campaign has targeted 751 suspected scam facilities, resulting in the closure of 605 locations. Legal proceedings have been initiated in 388 cases involving 4,147 suspects representing 27 different nationalities. Additionally, authorities reported that over 21,600 foreign nationals from 38 nationalities have been rescued or are undergoing repatriation procedures following operations targeting scam compounds.

Ministry of Interior Deputy Spokesperson Tush Sohak stated the actions demonstrate a commitment to preventing Cambodia from becoming a safe haven for tech criminals or a base for money laundering. The crackdown comes amid a significant decline in international tourism, with arrivals dropping 47.8% between January and July 2025. While the government has focused on the casino industry due to concerns regarding human rights violations and fraud, officials have not specified the exact reasons for the individual license revocations.