Cambodia Launches Sweeping Casino Review Revealing Fraud Ties Across Dozens of Licensed Operations
Leon Russell · Jul 28, 2026
Cambodia Launches Sweeping Casino Review Revealing Fraud Ties Across Dozens of Licensed Operations
Cambodian authorities released findings from a comprehensive inspection of every licensed casino in the country on July 24 2026 and those figures showed direct connections to online fraud at 72 of the 195 sites examined. The review covered the full year from June 2025 through June 2026 and it produced a detailed record of enforcement actions that included raids on 737 scam centers along with inspections at 28,500 separate locations. Nineteen casino licenses faced outright revocation while another thirty received temporary suspensions and twenty-three additional venues stopped operating once their permits expired.
Scale of the Inspection and Immediate Outcomes
Inspectors moved through every licensed property without exception and they documented evidence of online fraud involvement at more than one-third of the total sites. Authorities acted on those findings by stripping licenses from nineteen operators and placing thirty others under suspension; meanwhile twenty-three casinos simply closed their doors when permits lapsed rather than pursue renewal. The combined effort produced a clear accounting of both active and shuttered venues and it highlighted the reach of enforcement across urban centers as well as remote border regions.
Prime Minister's Assessment of Progress
Prime Minister Hun Manet addressed the results directly and described the nationwide inspection as a major step forward in efforts to dismantle scam hubs operating under the cover of casino licenses. His remarks emphasized that the data collected over the twelve-month period provided authorities with a stronger foundation for continued action and he noted that international cooperation played a central role in identifying cross-border fraud networks tied to the affected properties.
Enforcement Actions Across the Year
Between June 2025 adn June 2026 task forces carried out 737 raids on identified scam centers while they simultaneously conducted inspections at 28,500 locations that ranged from large casino floors to smaller support facilities. Those operations yielded the evidence that later supported the revocation of nineteen licenses and the suspension of thirty more. Observers noted that the sheer volume of inspections reflected a systematic approach rather than isolated spot checks and the resulting closures removed dozens of venues from the licensed market in a single reporting cycle.
Role of International Partnerships
Cooperation with overseas agencies supplied critical intelligence that helped Cambodian officials link specific casinos to larger fraud operations and that same collaboration guided the targeting of the 737 raided sites. Data shared through these channels revealed patterns of money movement and player recruitment that crossed multiple borders and authorities used those patterns to prioritize inspections at the 28,500 locations. The report on the one-year crackdown period shows how such partnerships accelerated both the identification and the shutdown of fraudulent activities tied to licensed properties.
Current Status of the Casino Sector
After the July 24 2026 presentation the sector stood at 195 originally licensed casinos minus the nineteen revocations and the twenty-three closures that followed expired permits. Thirty additional venues remained under suspension pending further review and the remaining properties continued under heightened monitoring. Figures released with the report indicate that enforcement teams maintained pressure on any sites still showing signs of involvement in online fraud and they continued cross-checking records against the intelligence gathered during the twelve-month period.
Conclusion
The July 24 2026 government report stands as the most complete public accounting to date of Cambodia's efforts to separate legitimate casino operations from those engaged in online fraud. With 72 of 195 licensed properties tied to fraudulent activity and with 737 raids plus 28,500 inspections completed over one year the data demonstrate both the scale of the problem and the scope of the response. Prime Minister Hun Manet's comments on international cooperation underscore that the work continues through ongoing enforcement and shared intelligence rather than through a single round of actions.