Cambodia Plans Nationwide Casino Inspections to Enforce Online Gambling Ban

Cambodian authorities are preparing nationwide inspections of licensed casinos as part of an intensified campaign against unauthorised online gambling and cyber scam activities operating from casino premises.

The inspections will begin during October 2026 and will focus on ensuring that land-based casinos comply with the conditions of their licences and do not secretly operate or provide facilities for online gambling.

The inspection programme was agreed at a meeting on October 5 involving the Commercial Gambling Management Commission of Cambodia (CGMC) and the Secretariat of the Commission for Combating Online Scams (CCOS). Representatives from all 16 capital and provincial jurisdictions where casinos operate took part, together with officials from labour authorities, national police, immigration, provincial administrations and prosecution offices.

The CGMC said the joint inspections would examine whether casinos are operating within the activities authorised by their licences. Where unauthorised online gambling is identified, the regulator may impose administrative sanctions and cooperate with law enforcement authorities to pursue criminal proceedings.

The inspections follow Cambodia's September 30 deadline for casinos to end online gambling and betting activities. Authorities subsequently confirmed that 24 casinos in three provinces had stopped such operations and removed associated equipment.

The 24 casinos comprised 12 establishments in Preah Sihanouk province, seven in Banteay Meanchey and five in Svay Rieng. The activities that were terminated included live-streamed gambling, online football betting, online lottery operations and online bird-fighting betting.

Cambodian authorities have stressed that the prohibition applies to online gambling and betting both inside and outside casino premises. The latest inspection campaign is therefore intended not only to address operators that openly continue such activities but also to identify casinos where online gambling may be continuing covertly.

The government's renewed enforcement measures follow Prime Minister Hun Manet's decision to suspend online betting operations broadcast from casinos from October. Interior Minister Sar Sokha said in September that live online betting conducted from casino premises had created difficulties for authorities attempting to monitor financial flows whose origins were unclear.

Under the latest arrangements, any casino found violating the prohibition may face administrative measures and further legal action, including potential consequences for its licence.

Cambodia had already prohibited the issuance of new online gambling licences in 2019 and stopped renewing existing online gambling licences after they expired. The current measures therefore represent an intensified enforcement effort against online gambling activities that have continued to operate from physical casino locations despite the country's existing restrictions.

The casino inspections are also being conducted against the background of a broader Cambodian campaign against online scams and related criminal networks.

Authorities said they had conducted operations at more than 600 locations suspected of involvement in online scams. Casino premises have been among the locations examined during that wider campaign.

As of September 2026, the authorities had revoked the licences of 18 casinos identified as being involved in online scam activities. A further nine casino licences had been suspended while investigations continued.

For casinos whose licences have been revoked or suspended, the CCOS is working with the gambling regulator, judicial police, prosecutors, provincial courts and the Cambodia Financial Intelligence Unit on measures concerning assets connected to suspected scam offences. These measures can include the seizure, freezing and confiscation of assets belonging to premises owners or shareholders of casino companies involved in such activities.

Cambodian authorities have linked the online gambling crackdown to the wider effort to combat technology-related crime and cyber scam networks. Senior Minister Chhay Sinarith, who serves as standing vice-chairman of the CCOS, said enforcement would continue against locations associated with online scams and unregulated online gambling.

The government has also indicated that it intends to use multiple agencies in the inspections rather than relying solely on the gambling regulator. Police, immigration authorities, provincial administrations and prosecutors are expected to participate in the joint inspection teams.

The approach gives the authorities the ability to address both regulatory breaches and potential criminal conduct identified during inspections. The CGMC is responsible for enforcing casino licensing requirements, while law enforcement agencies can pursue cases where activities may constitute criminal offences.

The authorities have not provided a timetable for completing the nationwide inspections or disclosed how many casinos will be inspected during the initial phase.

The October campaign represents a further tightening of Cambodia's approach to online gambling conducted from physical casino premises, following the September deadline and the closure of identified online operations. Authorities have said that casinos will continue to be monitored and that violations of the prohibition will be subject to legal action.

By fLEXI tEAM