Cambodia will suspend online betting operations conducted or broadcast from land-based casinos nationwide from October, following a decision by Prime Minister Hun Manet. The measure forms part of wider government efforts to address technology-related scams and financial activity involving unclear sources of funds.

Interior Minister Sar Sokha announced the decision during a public event on September 5. He said authorities had identified difficulties in monitoring cash flows connected with online betting broadcast from casino premises. The suspension will remain in place while government ministries and relevant institutions work on stronger controls for the sector.

The planned measures will cover the legal and regulatory framework governing these activities, as well as digital infrastructure and the availability of suitably qualified personnel. Authorities will consider allowing the operations to resume once the required systems are established.

Casinos that continue the affected activities after the suspension takes effect could face licence revocation and other legal consequences.

Government Tightens Controls Around Casino Operations

The decision comes as Cambodia continues a wider campaign against technology-related fraud. A government summary covering the period from July 2025 through August 31, 2026 said authorities had carried out operations at 663 suspected scam locations. Some of those locations were found inside casinos.

As Asia Gaming Brief reports, authorities also took control of 86 major scam compounds and began legal procedures to confiscate properties under applicable laws. During the same period, nearly 30,000 suspects representing 39 nationalities were detained. More than 22,000 foreign nationals from 38 countries were rescued and repatriated.

Authorities also reported legal action involving 27 casinos. Eighteen licences were revoked and nine were suspended. Inspections will continue at casinos suspected of involvement in illegal online gambling or online sports betting.

The latest action follows earlier restrictions on online gambling in Cambodia. The country stopped issuing new licences to purely online gambling businesses in August 2019, while existing licences were not renewed after expiration. Nationwide inspections began in January 2020 to ensure casinos had ended their online operations.

Online gambling itself has been illegal in Cambodia since January 1, 2020. Licensed casinos, however, had been permitted under the country’s gaming framework to provide live-dealer streaming to foreign players. The latest suspension therefore addresses online betting activity conducted or broadcast from casino premises rather than introducing the country’s first prohibition on online gambling.

Sokha indicated that the suspension could eventually be lifted, although authorities have not provided a timeframe for any possible return.

New Framework Planned for Casino Licence Reviews

The government is also preparing changes to the way casino licences are assessed. Cambodia’s Commercial Gambling Management Commission has begun work on an “integrity and quality” evaluation framework intended to establish the minimum suitability conditions for obtaining a casino licence.

The General Secretariat of the Commercial Gambling Management Commission discussed the framework at a September 4 meeting. Officials said the proposed system would be based on applicable laws and regulatory instruments, while also responding to the need to strengthen the country’s commercial gambling sector.

The licensing review comes after authorities examined Cambodia’s licensed casinos for possible links to scam operations. In August, authorities said they had revoked 20 casino licences and suspended another 29 after investigating all 195 licensed casinos in the country.

The review process and the new restrictions on casino-based online betting form part of a broader tightening of oversight across the sector.

Authorities Link Measures to Fraud and Financial Monitoring

The government has identified monitoring financial activity as a central issue behind the suspension. According to Sokha, live-streamed online betting from casino locations creates difficulties for authorities seeking to determine where money comes from and how funds move through these operations.

The government therefore intends to strengthen the systems used to oversee such activities before considering any resumption. The measures will require relevant institutions to establish the necessary regulatory arrangements, technical infrastructure and personnel.

Cambodia has also previously taken steps to strengthen its anti-money-laundering and counter-terrorist-financing systems. The country was removed from the Financial Action Task Force grey list in 2023 following a multi-year action plan addressing deficiencies in those areas. Cambodia is scheduled to take part in the next FATF evaluation round in 2029.

The suspension of live online betting from casino premises will take effect in October, while the authorities continue developing the regulatory framework and evaluating casino operators. Casinos that breach the new measure could face further enforcement action, including the loss of their licences.