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Cambodia’s government has announced that all online gambling operations linked to land-based casinos across the country will be suspended starting in October.
Interior Minister Sar Sokha said the move aims to combat technology-related scams and illicit cash flows, according to a report by local newspaper Khmer Times on Monday. The minister stated that the suspension was ordered directly by Prime Minister Hun Manet.
Mr Sokha explained that the decision came after a review by local authorities. The review highlighted how live-streamed online gambling makes it harder to monitor cash flows and tackle tech-enabled crime.
Following the implementation of the suspension, the government plans to establish a clear and effective management system for this form of gambling, according to the media outlet.
Stiff Regulatory Measures Against Non-Compliance
Only after putting in place all the necessary safeguards can gambling be done online, he explained. He further stated that the prime minister had already tasked concerned authorities with coming up with strict regulatory measures.
Casinos that fail to comply with the suspension of live-streamed gaming operations face license revocation and further legal action, according to the minister.
This latest development follows Cambodia’s earlier crackdown on online gambling. In 2019, it was reported that the Southeast Asian nation would cease issuing new permits to purely online gambling businesses.
In recent years, Cambodia has been tightening regulation of its casino industry in line with the Law on the Management of Commercial Gambling. This law put in place regulations in the form of a legal framework for the regulation of Cambodia’s casinos.
Regulator Prepares Evaluation Framework
Cambodia’s casino regulator is currently preparing an integrity and quality evaluation framework to assess casino licence renewals, according to an announcement on Friday by the nation’s Commercial Gambling Management Commission.
The framework is expected to establish minimum suitability requirements for obtaining a casino license. It will be based on Cambodia’s applicable laws and regulatory instruments, as well as what the regulator described as the necessity to strengthen the country’s commercial gambling sector.
The meeting to review the proposed framework was chaired by Yeth Vinel, secretary-general of the CGMC. Representatives from the regulator’s Internal Audit Unit, technical advisers, department directors, and other officials attended the discussion.
Participants reviewed the proposed casino integrity and quality evaluation framework and provided feedback on its contents. The plan intends to help regulate casino operators to adhere to certain requirements during the issuance and renewal of their licenses.
The CGMC did not give any information about the specific factors that will be used in the assessment. It also did not indicate when the framework would be finalized or implemented.
Path Forward for Online Gambling
The suspension of online gambling operations linked to land-based casinos marks another step in Cambodia’s efforts to manage its commercial gambling sector more effectively.
With the government planning to establish a new management system and the regulator working on an evaluation framework for license renewals, the country appears to be moving toward a more controlled and monitored casino environment.
It is up to the operators to be prepared for the October suspension. Those who continue to conduct their live-streamed games past the deadline may end up being subjected to severe repercussions, such as revocation of their licenses.
It is clear that the government intends to restart the online gambling industry once all of its plans are executed. Until then, the government intends to focus on technology scams and illegal funds associated with livestream gambling.
Source: GGR Asia
