Cambodia to halt online gambling starting from October

• Online gambling in Cambodia will be suspended starting in October
• The iGaming suspension comes at a time when the country continues to combat online scams, illegal gambling, money laundering and other crimes that have resulted in the arrest of nearly 30,000 people in the last year
• During the online gambling suspension, the country will develop a comprehensive framework for combatting crimes, while casinos violating the ban are going to be punished

In a decisive move against online scams, money laundering and other international crimes, Cambodia is planning to suspend online gambling activities. The ban is going to be implemented starting in October.

All casinos in Cambodia must halt iGaming activities

As announced by local media outlets, confirmation regarding the planned online gambling activities suspension came from the country’s Interior Minister, Sar Sokha, on Saturday.

The Minister explained that the online gambling suspension is going to affect all casinos in Cambodia.

The move comes at a time when the country has been fighting transnational crime groups, including online scam centers and money laundering.

Data presented by Sokha over the weekend revealed that from July 2025 through August 31, 2026, government and law enforcement agencies detained close to 30,000 people from 39 nationalities, suspected of being involved in various crimes, including online scams, money laundering and participation in criminal syndicates.

Raids by law enforcement at nearly 800 locations resulted in the takedown of 86 scam centers during that time.

A total of 27 casino operators faced legal woes, the Interior Minister said.

As a result, nine casinos had their licenses suspended, while the remaining 18 casinos had their licenses revoked.

Cambodia’s Interior Minister confirmed that the order to suspend online gambling was greenlit by Prime Minister Hun Manet and marks a major part of the country’s plan to continue to crack down on scam centers and illegal online gambling syndicates.

Casinos that breach the online gambling suspension would face prosecution or license revocation as punishment.

During the iGaming suspension period, Cambodia’s institutions, ministries and regulatory bodies will develop a comprehensive framework that would establish stricter regulation of online gambling and enhance their capabilities when fighting online crimes such as scams.

Required digital solutions, training personnel, and other means would be developed for the period of the suspension.

The government did not confirm how long the online gambling suspension in Cambodia will last.

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