Cambodia Details One-Year Crackdown on Online Scam Operations Linked to Casinos

Authorities in Cambodia released findings from a one-year report on efforts to curb online scam activities tied to licensed gambling venues, and the numbers paint a clear picture of both scale and response. The inspection covered every one of the country's 195 licensed casinos, with 72 of them flagged for direct involvement in online fraud schemes during the period from June 2025 through June 2026.

Inspection Reach and Initial Discoveries

Officials conducted raids on 737 online scam centers while examining 28,500 separate locations across the nation, including all casinos under review. Senior Minister Chhay Sinarith submitted the report, which outlines how teams identified patterns of fraud operations operating from within or alongside casino properties. Those findings prompted immediate license actions, including the revocation of 19 casino licenses and the suspension of 30 additional ones, while another 23 casinos stopped operations on their own after the inspections began.

Data from the review shows that many of the targeted sites combined traditional gambling services with digital fraud networks that targeted victims internationally. Observers note the inspections extended beyond urban centers to cover rural and border regions where scam compounds often blend into local economies. The coordinated approach allowed authorities to map connections between physical locations and online platforms used for scams involving investment fraud, romance schemes, and other digital crimes.

License Revocations and Operational Shifts

Revoked and suspended licenses represent a direct response to evidence gathered during the nationwide sweep. In several cases, casino operators faced charges after investigators documented the use of casino facilities for housing foreign workers involved in scam activities. The 23 venues that ceased operations independently did so ahead of formal enforcement, which analysts attribute to operators recognizing the direction of regulatory pressure. Figures reveal these actions reduced the number of active sites that could serve as bases for online fraud while maintaining pressure on remaining license holders to demonstrate compliance.

Deportations and Cross-Border Cooperation

More than 21,100 foreign nationals faced deportation as part of the same enforcement wave. The report highlights collaboration with governments in neighboring countries and beyond, which facilitated the identification and removal of individuals linked to scam networks. International partners shared intelligence on money flows and victim reports, allowing Cambodian teams to prioritize raids at locations where foreign workers formed the core operational staff. Those efforts produced measurable results, as authorities dismantled clusters of scam compounds that had previously operated with limited interference.

Cooperation extended to data exchanges on digital infrastructure, including servers and communication tools used to run the fraud schemes. The one-year report on online scam crackdown presented to Cabinet notes that joint operations helped trace funds back to overseas accounts and led to additional arrests outside Cambodia's borders. Such partnerships underscore how the issue crosses national lines and requires sustained coordination to disrupt recruitment pipelines that bring workers into the scam centers.

Broader Context of Enforcement Actions

Inspections of the 28,500 locations uncovered not only casino-linked fraud but also standalone scam hubs that used casino-adjacent properties for logistics and worker housing. Raids on the 737 centers yielded equipment, records, and communications that supported ongoing prosecutions. The combination of license actions and deportations created a dual track of regulatory and immigration enforcement that observers say reduced the immediate capacity of networks to resume operations quickly. Data indicates the period between June 2025 and June 2026 marked the most intensive phase of these coordinated checks to date.

Conclusion

The report submitted by Senior Minister Chhay Sinarith captures a year of intensive work that combined physical raids, license reviews, and international removals. With 72 of 195 casinos tied to fraud, the findings establish a baseline for future monitoring while the revocation of 19 licenses and suspension of 30 others demonstrate concrete steps taken against non-compliant operators. Deportation of over 21,100 foreign nationals alongside raids on 737 centers reflects the scope of the response, and continued cooperation with foreign governments offers one path for addressing the transnational elements that sustain these operations. The full set of figures from the inspections provides a record that regulators can reference as they assess progress in the months ahead.