Cambodia's Casino Inspections Reveal Significant Online Scam Involvement
Cambodian authorities released a one-year report detailing their nationwide campaign against online fraud operations that had infiltrated licensed casinos and other sites across the country. The document covers activities from June 2025 through June 2026 and was submitted by Senior Minister Chhay Sinarith to the Cabinet. It outlines how inspectors examined every one of the 195 licensed casinos and discovered that 72 of them had connections to online scam activities. Those findings prompted immediate regulatory responses that included license revocations and operational suspensions.
Scale of the Inspection Effort
Officials conducted raids on 737 separate online scam centers during the twelve-month period while also reviewing 28,500 locations in total. The casino inspections formed a core part of this broader sweep because many fraud networks had set up inside or alongside gaming facilities. Twenty-three additional casinos stopped operating on their own before authorities could take formal action against them. The report notes that these closures occurred after operators became aware of the ongoing reviews.
Data from the inspections show clear patterns in how online fraud groups exploited casino licenses to mask their activities. Teams visited every licensed property and cross-checked records against reports of foreign workers involved in scam operations. This systematic approach allowed authorities to identify which facilities required license action and which could continue under stricter oversight.
Regulatory Actions and Outcomes
Nineteen casino licenses were revoked outright after evidence of online fraud involvement emerged. Another thirty licenses faced temporary suspensions while further investigations continued. The combined effect reduced the number of active casinos and disrupted the infrastructure that had supported scam centers. Authorities also deported more than 21,100 foreign nationals who had worked at these locations during the reporting period.
International cooperation played a central role in the deportations and in tracing cross-border networks. The report highlights joint efforts with neighboring countries that helped identify individuals linked to organized fraud groups. These partnerships enabled faster removals and reduced the ability of scam operators to relocate within the region.
Key Statistics from the One-Year Report
The numbers tell a consistent story of large-scale enforcement. Between June 2025 and June 2026, the 737 raids targeted centers that had used casino premises or nearby buildings as bases. Inspectors logged 28,500 site visits overall, a figure that includes the complete review of all 195 casinos. Of those casinos, 72 were found to have direct ties to online fraud, while 19 lost their licenses and 30 received suspensions. The 23 casinos that ceased operations voluntarily added to the total reduction in active facilities.
Deportation figures exceeded 21,100 individuals, many of whom had entered the country on work permits tied to the affected casinos. The report links these removals to international agreements that allowed Cambodian authorities to coordinate with foreign governments on identification and repatriation processes. Such cooperation appears repeatedly in the document as a factor that strengthened enforcement outcomes.
Context of the Crackdown
The one-year report into online scam crackdown presented to Cabinet frames these actions as part of a sustained effort to separate legitimate gaming from criminal enterprises. Inspectors focused on documentation, worker records, and financial trails that connected casinos to fraud platforms. The presence of foreign nationals in large numbers at raided sites prompted closer scrutiny of visa compliance and employment practices.
Observers note that the inspection of all 195 licensed casinos provided a complete baseline rather than a sample-based review. This full coverage made it possible to compare facilities that remained compliant against those that did not. The resulting data informed decisions on which licenses to revoke immediately and which to suspend pending additional evidence.
Conclusion
teh Cambodian government's one-year report documents a coordinated series of raids, inspections, license actions, and deportations that addressed online scam operations tied to licensed casinos. Between June 2025 and June 2026, authorities processed 737 raid sites, examined 28,500 locations, acted against 72 of 195 casinos, and removed more than 21,100 foreign nationals. International cooperation supported these steps and appears in the report as an ongoing element of enforcement. The figures and outcomes outlined in the document reflect the scope of activity during that specific twelve-month window.