The Cambodian government is conducting a systematic sweep of online scams and illegal gambling networks within its borders with unprecedented intensity. According to a statement released last Friday by the Royal Government's spokesperson's office and quoted by the Khmer Times, from last July to mid-April 2026, authorities have carried out law enforcement actions at over 250 suspected scam dens in Phnom Penh and several provinces, directly resulting in the closure of 91 casinos linked to fraudulent activities or serving as operational bases. During the same period, the courts handled 112 related cases involving 1089 suspects, whose nationalities include Cambodia, China, Thailand, Vietnam, Japan, Korea, and Singapore. From the beginning of last year to April 19, a total of 13,039 foreigners from 33 countries, including 1509 women, were expelled for suspected involvement in scam activities. The high-pressure enforcement stance also triggered a larger scale of voluntary departures—about 242,000 foreigners voluntarily left Cambodia from mid-January to April this year. Minister of Justice Gao Le spoke bluntly: Foreign criminal groups use Cambodia as a base for crime, with victims abroad, and Cambodia itself is also a victim of this scam.
From casinos to courts, a full-chain crackdown breaks the cycle of reincarnation
This law enforcement action is different from the past, often stopping at raids and closing venues. The new online scam law, which came into effect in early April, significantly increases the maximum sentence and creates five new criminal charges. The law was approved by the Senate and signed into royal decree by former Prime Minister Hun Sen acting as the head of state. Under the new law, severe cases can face 15 to 30 years or even life imprisonment, and those whose operations result in death will be sentenced to 15 to 30 years or life imprisonment. The baseline sentence for leaders is 5 to 10 years, escalating to 10 to 20 years for aggravated circumstances involving violence, human trafficking, illegal detention, or forced labor, while lower-level participants also face 2 to 5 years in prison. Gao Le emphasized that this set of legislation should not just be seen as a response to crime but as a national strategic action that must be undertaken, establishing special legal procedures to better address scam-related crimes.
While continuing high-pressure enforcement, the Cambodian government is also dismantling the financial channels and infrastructure that illegal platforms rely on to survive. The Cambodian government's sweep coincides with the recent inclusion of Cambodian Senator Guo An and his Crown Resorts in the sanctions list by the US Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control, accusing the casinos of being used as physical bases for large-scale online scams and money laundering, which undoubtedly accelerates the pace of Cambodia's cleanup. Prime Minister Hong Manei instructed law enforcement agencies at the ministerial meeting on April 23 to "not delay, not tolerate, no exceptions" in tracking down scam networks, and while praising the progress of law enforcement, emphasized that actions will not be relaxed during holidays.
China-Cambodia diplomatic coordination and the dual narrative of "victim" status
Behind this large-scale cleanup operation, pressure from China is an undeniable external driving force. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi publicly called for stronger actions against cross-border gambling and online fraud during his visit to Phnom Penh in April, characterizing it as a serious threat to public safety and regional stability. Cambodia has strategically positioned itself on this issue, both acknowledging the reality of foreign criminal groups using its territory as a crime base and defining itself as a victim of transnational crime, thus easing international criticism of Cambodia's condoning or acquiescence to the long-term existence of scam parks. Gao Le emphasized in his latest statement that Cambodia does not want to welcome criminals into the country, and this is not only the responsibility of law enforcement officers, but citizens must also participate in the eradication of scam crimes.
PASA official website continues to track Southeast Asian gambling law enforcement and transnational crime governance dynamics, noting that this round of cleanup in Cambodia marks a severe external squeeze and internal cleanup dual reshuffle of the region's gray casino ecology.
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This article is from "PASA-Global iGaming Leader" gambling industry news channel: https://t.me/pasa_news
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