Cambodia Launches Extensive Casino Inspections Revealing Fraud Links in Licensed Operations

Cambodian authorities completed a full review of the country's 195 licensed casinos as part of a one-year initiative targeting scam centers, and the findings showed that 72 of those casinos had connections to online fraud activities, while the broader effort from June 2025 through June 2026 involved raids on 737 centers along with inspections at 28,500 locations across the nation.

Scope of the Nationwide Review

Officials carried out the inspection program under directives from senior government figures, and the process examined every licensed casino operating within Cambodia's borders, yet the results indicated direct involvement in online fraud schemes at a significant portion of the sites, whereas dozens more faced license actions as a direct consequence of the discoveries.

Teams conducted physical raids on 737 centers identified as potential scam hubs, and they expanded the checks to cover 28,500 separate locations that included both urban and rural facilities, while investigators gathered evidence that later supported hundreds of court proceedings against operators and participants.

Key Outcomes and Enforcement Actions

Authorities revoked or suspended operating licenses for multiple casinos following the inspections, and they deported more than 21,100 foreign nationals who had been linked to the fraudulent operations, whereas local courts received hundreds of cases that stemmed directly from the evidence collected during the crackdown period.

The report submitted by Senior Minister Chhay Sinarith outlined these statistics in detail, and it highlighted the scale of the coordinated response that combined regulatory reviews with law enforcement operations across multiple provinces, while the data also tracked the removal of individuals tied to international scam networks.

Government Presentation and Official Response

Prime Minister Hun Manet received the comprehensive findings during a July 2026 cabinet meeting, and he characterized the document as an important advancement toward rebuilding Cambodia's international standing in the gaming sector, whereas the one-year report into online scam crackdown provided the factual basis for ongoing policy adjustments.

Observers note that the combination of license actions and deportations formed the core of the enforcement strategy, and the figures reveal how the inspections extended beyond initial targets to encompass a much wider range of sites, while hundreds of court cases now move forward based on the collected documentation.

Details from the Inspection Process

Inspectors visited every one of the 195 licensed casinos during the sweep, and they identified fraud connections at 72 facilities through records of online activities that violated local regulations, whereas the remaining casinos either cleared the reviews or received warnings tied to lesser compliance issues.

Data from the operations shows that the 737 raided centers represented a focused subset of the total inspections, and the 28,500 locations checked included hotels, offices, and residential buildings suspected of housing scam operations, while foreign nationals removed from the country accounted for a substantial share of those previously involved in the networks.

Broader Context of the Crackdown

The initiative spanned twelve months and combined regulatory oversight with direct intervention measures, and officials coordinated across agencies to ensure consistent application of the rules at both licensed and unlicensed sites, whereas the deportation numbers reflect the international scope of the individuals targeted during the period.

Evidence collected during the raids supported the filing of hundreds of cases in Cambodian courts, and these proceedings address charges ranging from fraud to immigration violations, while the overall results demonstrate the government's commitment to addressing online scam activities that had operated under the cover of casino licenses.

Conclusion

The completed review of Cambodia's casino sector delivered clear metrics on fraud involvement and enforcement results, and the report delivered to the July 2026 cabinet meeting supplied the foundation for continued regulatory work, whereas the actions taken during the one-year crackdown established a record of inspections, raids, license adjustments, and removals that officials will reference in future oversight efforts.