Cambodia Launches Nationwide Casino Inspections Amid Online Scam Crackdown

Cambodia’s government carried out a full inspection of all 195 licensed casinos between June 2025 and June 2026 as part of a coordinated effort to disrupt online scam operations, and the results reached the cabinet on July 24, 2026 through a report submitted by Senior Minister Chhay Sinarith. The sweep examined every licensed property across the country and uncovered direct connections between 72 casinos and fraudulent online activities that had drawn international attention.

Scope of the Inspection and Key Findings

Officials reviewed operational records, ownership structures, and links to digital fraud networks at each site, which produced clear outcomes once the data reached Prime Minister Hun Manet’s cabinet meeting. Nineteen licenses faced immediate revocation, thirty others received suspension orders, and twenty-three additional casinos stopped operations after their permits expired without renewal. Those numbers emerged directly from the minister’s submission and reflect the scale of enforcement during the twelve-month period.

Raids conducted alongside the casino reviews targeted 737 separate scam centers, while authorities carried out more than 21,100 deportations of individuals tied to the schemes. The combined actions addressed both physical locations and the broader network of online fraud that had operated from within the casino sector.

Official Reporting and Government Response

The report presented to the July 24 cabinet session outlined the inspection methodology, listed the specific violations uncovered, and detailed the administrative steps taken against the 72 implicated properties. Prime Minister Hun Manet received the findings as part of the regular cabinet process and noted the progress achieved through the coordinated enforcement period. Government statements emphasized that the inspection covered every licensed casino without exception and produced measurable results in license actions and related raids.

Enforcement Actions Across Multiple Fronts

While the casino inspections formed the central element of the initiative, parallel operations against standalone scam centers produced additional seizures and removals of personnel. The 737 centers raided during the same timeframe operated separately from the licensed casinos yet shared overlapping networks that funneled proceeds through casino-linked accounts. Deportation figures exceeding 21,100 individuals included foreign nationals identified at both casino properties and the independent centers, creating a unified enforcement record for the full year.

Data compiled for the cabinet meeting showed how ownership ties and financial flows connected many of the suspended or revoked casinos to the scam centers. Investigators traced payment processing routes, server locations, and personnel movements that linked the two categories of sites. The resulting administrative measures—revocations, suspensions, and non-renewals—followed standard regulatory procedures once evidence met the required thresholds.

Timeline and Next Steps

The inspection cycle ran from June 2025 through June 2026, allowing authorities to complete site visits, gather documentation, and prepare the consolidated report delivered in late July. Cabinet review of the findings occurred on the 24th, after which further regulatory actions were expected to continue under existing licensing frameworks. Observers note that the one-year window provided sufficient time for comprehensive coverage of all 195 properties while coordinating with the separate raids on scam centers.

Additional monitoring remains in place for the casinos still operating under suspended or conditional licenses, and authorities have indicated that ongoing checks will verify compliance with the new restrictions. The report submitted by Senior Minister Chhay Sinarith serves as the official record of outcomes from this phase of enforcement.

Conclusion

The nationwide casino inspection produced documented results that included 19 revocations, 30 suspensions, and 23 non-renewals among the 72 properties tied to online fraud. Parallel raids on 737 scam centers and the removal of more than 21,100 individuals completed the enforcement picture presented to the July 24 cabinet meeting. The findings stand as the primary record of Cambodia’s one-year effort to address online scam operations linked to its licensed casino sector.