Cambodia’s gaming regulator has revoked the casino licence of a property in the border city of Bavet, after authorities linked the venue to alleged online scam operations, according to local media reports and regulatory action taken this week.
The Commercial Gambling Management Commission (CGMC) of Cambodia cancelled the casino licence held by Radiant Pearl Investment Ltd, operator of the Roxy Hotel & Casino, local newspaper The Phnom Penh Post reported.
According to the outlet, the licence revocation followed an inspection conducted on May 21 by provincial and municipal authorities together with the Comission for Combating Online Scams (CCOS).
The operation resulted in the detention of 25 Chinese nationals suspected of involvement in criminal activities. Authorities also seized mobile phones, computers, vehicles and digital video recorder equipment used for surveillance systems.
Investigators subsequently examined the electronic devices and concluded that the casino had been involved in online fraud activities, the report stated.
The CGMC has also requested assistance from the Cambodia Financial Intelligence Unit to obtain information on bank accounts linked to the company’s owners, and individuals previously registered as licence holders. The information is to be forwarded to prosecutors at the Svay Rieng Provincial Court for further legal proceedings, per the report.
The latest action comes amid a broader regulatory crackdown by Cambodian authorities on casinos allegedly linked to online fraud and cybercrime.
Earlier this year, the CGMC revoked or suspended a number of casino licences as part of enforcement measures targeting venues suspected of facilitating online scam operations.
According to Chinese news agency Xinhua, more than 250 online scam centres have been raided nationwide over the past nine months, with 91 casinos shut down for alleged involvement in such activities.
The latest revocation also comes amid broader concerns raised by human rights groups about links between some licensed casino operations and scam compounds. An April report by Amnesty International alleged that multiple casino complexes in Cambodia had connections to facilities where trafficking, forced labour and other abuses had occurred.
In a statement, the head of Cambodia’s CCOS defended the country’s efforts against online scam centres, stating that “the core operating systems, command technologies and… financial chains” were “outside Cambodia’s jurisdiction”.
