Cambodian authorities have revoked the licences of 18 casinos linked to technology based scam operations and suspended nine others as the government intensifies its campaign against online fraud. The action was announced by the Secretariat of the Commission for Combating Online Scams, following joint enforcement with the Commercial Gambling Management Commission of Cambodia under a government order issued in July 2025.
The crackdown comes alongside a warning from Interior Minister Sar Sokha, who urged Cambodians to reject attractive job offers from fraud networks. Authorities say some recruitment operations target local workers with promises of high salaries, placing them inside organised scam operations that contact thousands of potential victims every day.
“Cambodia’s latest crackdown on scam operations is reaching the casino sector, with 18 licences revoked and nine more suspended. Authorities are also targeting the financial networks behind these operations, working with law enforcement agencies, prosecutors and the Cambodia Financial Intelligence Unit to freeze and confiscate assets linked to implicated casinos. Interior Minister Sar Sokha has separately warned Cambodians about recruitment into fraud networks, where workers may be offered more than $600 a month to contact thousands of potential victims each day. With the government preparing to suspend online gambling operations linked to casinos from next month, the campaign is moving beyond arrests and inspections toward tighter financial monitoring, stronger regulation and greater oversight of digital gambling activities.”
Authorities Target Casinos Linked to Scam Operations
The government’s latest action has resulted in the revocation of licences for 18 casinos that authorities say were involved in online scam operations. Nine additional casinos have been suspended as part of the enforcement campaign.
The measures follow joint action by the Secretariat of the Commission for Combating Online Scams and the Commercial Gambling Management Commission of Cambodia under a government order issued in July 2025. The development signals a broader effort to prevent casino facilities from being used as bases for technology based fraud and to strengthen oversight of activities taking place within the sector.
The 18 casinos named by the authorities are KHM Paradise Tower Casino & Hotel, Eagle King Casino, Orchid Hotel & Rich Casino, Shang Hai Resort, Golden Galaxy Casino, Roxy Hotel & Casino, Golden Fortune Resorts World Casino, Casino Kchom, Jin Bei Group, Jin Bei, Casino Zhong Huawei Golden Sand International Entertainment, G.C. Casino, Da Jin Gang Casino & Hotel, Gang Dao, Casino Ying Huang, Jin Bei 4 Casino, Xin Hao Peak Casino and Jin Yu Man Tang Casino.
Minister Warns Cambodians About Scam Recruitment
Interior Minister Sar Sokha raised concerns about the recruitment of Cambodian workers into fraud networks during a conference of commune councils in Phnom Penh on Tuesday. He warned citizens to be cautious about job offers that promise unusually high salaries, particularly when the work involves contacting people through phones or digital platforms.
“Even in Phnom Penh, some Cambodians are involved in scam operations, particularly in boreys,” Sokha said.
He explained that some workers are reportedly paid more than $600 per month to send messages to as many as 10,000 phone numbers every day. When a recipient responds, the contact is then transferred to senior operators who carry out different types of fraud, including fake investment schemes, romance scams and employment fraud.
Scam Networks Use Local Workers to Reach Victims
The recruitment of local workers highlights the increasingly organised nature of scam operations. Rather than requiring every participant to conduct an entire fraud scheme, networks can divide responsibilities among different workers, with some people focused on making initial contact and others handling the later stages of the deception.
The scale described by Sokha also shows why fraudulent messages can reach large numbers of potential victims in a short period. Contacting thousands of phone numbers each day allows operators to search for people who are willing to continue a conversation, after which more experienced members of the network can attempt to extract money or sensitive information.
For Cambodian job seekers, the warning carries an important practical message. A salary that appears unusually attractive may come with serious legal and personal risks if the position involves fraudulent activity. Authorities are therefore urging citizens to examine employment opportunities carefully rather than judging an offer solely by its pay.
Authorities Move to Freeze Casino Assets
The enforcement campaign is also targeting the financial side of the alleged operations. The Commission for Combating Online Scams said it is working with law enforcement authorities, prosecutors and the Cambodia Financial Intelligence Unit to freeze and confiscate assets belonging to implicated casinos.
Following the money is a critical part of disrupting organised fraud because shutting down an operation without addressing its financial resources may leave networks with the ability to continue operating elsewhere. Asset freezing and confiscation therefore adds another layer to the government’s approach.
The involvement of the Cambodia Financial Intelligence Unit also points to increased attention on financial transactions associated with suspected scam activities. For legitimate businesses operating in Cambodia’s casino and hospitality sectors, stronger financial oversight could also increase the importance of maintaining transparent ownership, transactions and compliance procedures.
Online Gambling Linked to Casinos Faces Suspension
The government plans to suspend all online gambling operations linked to casinos starting next month. Authorities say the move is intended to address financial flows that are difficult to monitor under existing arrangements.
Speaking in Takeo province on September 5, Sokha said livestreamed gambling from casinos makes it more difficult for authorities to track financial movements. During the suspension period, the government plans to update regulatory frameworks, digital infrastructure and supervisory capacity.
The planned suspension represents another significant step in the government’s effort to strengthen control over online gambling and related financial activity. It also suggests that authorities are looking beyond individual scam cases toward the regulatory systems and digital infrastructure that underpin the wider industry.
Cambodia’s Scam Crackdown Enters a Broader Phase
The revocation of 18 casino licences, suspension of nine others and planned halt to casino linked online gambling demonstrate a widening government response to technology based fraud. The measures combine enforcement, financial investigation, regulation and public warnings rather than relying on a single approach.
For businesses, investors and entrepreneurs, the developments underline the importance of compliance and due diligence in sectors exposed to digital payments, online gambling and cross border financial activity. For ordinary Cambodians, the warning about scam recruitment is equally important because seemingly legitimate employment opportunities can potentially place workers inside illegal operations.
The government’s next challenge will be ensuring that stronger regulations, improved digital monitoring and enforcement measures are implemented consistently. The broader takeaway is that Cambodia’s fight against online scams is increasingly moving toward the infrastructure, money and recruitment systems that allow fraud networks to operate, rather than focusing only on the victims and individual scam messages.