Cambodia tightens casino licence renewals amid anti-scam crackdown
Cambodia’s gambling regulatory authority, the Commercial Gambling Management Commission of Cambodia (CGMC), is advancing plans to introduce a formal suitability screening process for casino licence renewals.
CGMC drafts casino licence renewal framework
The CGMC reviewed a draft of the new evaluation framework during a meeting chaired by Secretary General Yeth Vinel on 4 September.
The proposed “integrity and quality” framework aims to establish minimum conditions that operators must meet to maintain or obtain a licence, signalling a strengthening of oversight in the sector. The details of the scoring criteria and an official implementation date remain unpublished.
Anti-scam crackdown intensifies enforcement
The timing of regulatory tightening coincides with a vigorous government campaign against scams and illicit financial activities linked to casinos.
According to Khmer Times, the Cambodian government has announced a landmark decision to suspend all online gambling activities at its casinos starting October 2026.
The move aims to clean up the gaming sector by cutting ties between casinos, cyber-fraud operations and untraceable money flows. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Sar Sokha warned that any casino found breaching the suspension after it takes effect risks licence revocation and further legal consequences.
In August, Cambodia’s state news agency, AKP, reported that authorities had inspected 195 licensed casinos nationwide as part of a broader anti-scam crackdown. This resulted in the revocation of 20 licences and the suspension of 29 others, with an additional 23 licences lapsing naturally.
Touch Sokhak, deputy spokesperson of the Ministry of Interior, emphasised that the operation seeks to prevent Cambodia from becoming “a safe haven or money-laundering base for technology-related criminals”.
However, the sustained enforcement drive has already taken a toll on the wider Cambodian economy. In May, the government lowered its 2026 GDP growth forecast as construction, real estate and consumer spending absorb the short-term impact of the crackdown.
Framework timeline unclear as conference looms
Meanwhile, the CGMC has not disclosed when the integrity and quality framework will be finalised, leaving casino operators without concrete guidance on the new requirements.
The gap comes as Phnom Penh prepares to host its major anti-scam conference on 23-24 September, part of the wider government campaign against online scam networks.
Initially framed as “Together Towards Disrupting the Chain and Ending Online Scams” by AKP in August, the conference now carries the theme “Acting Together towards Breaking the Chain and Eradication of Online Scams” on its official website.
Prime Minister Hun Manet has publicly characterised the crackdown as an effort to “clean our house” and restore Cambodia’s reputation internationally.