Authorities in Sihanoukville, a coastal city in Cambodia, carried out crackdowns on illegal online gambling operations, resulting in the detention of nearly 200 foreigners who now face deportation. 

The Khmer Times reported that a raid at the former Paradis Island Casino site in Sihanoukville last March 9 led to the apprehension of 172 foreigners, including 43 females. 

 The majority hailed from Vietnam (109), with others from Thailand (54), Taiwan (8), and China (1).  

Moreover, five managers, four Taiwanese, and one Chinese, will undergo legal proceedings. 

167 individuals from Vietnam, Thailand, and Taiwan, have been handed over to the General Department of Immigration for deportation. 

On March 10, authorities conducted another raid in Group 23, Village 2, Sangkat 3, Sihanoukville, where they found 279 Cambodians, including 227 females, and 28 foreigners, primarily from China (27) and one from Myanmar.  

The 28 foreigners have also been referred to the General Department of Immigration for deportation. 

These enforcement actions were undertaken to eliminate fraudulent online gambling establishments in Sihanoukville. 

Online gambling prohibited in Cambodia 

In November 2023, Cambodian Commercial Gambling Management Commission (CGMC) Secretary-General Ros Phirun reiterated that all online gambling in the Southeast Asian country is illegal.??

According to Phirun, Cambodia currently licences only two types of gambling — casinos with physical premises and lottery. 

The ban on online gambling took effect in January 2020. That year, the country’s Interior Ministry said the number of licenced casinos dropped from 163 in June to 136. 

Crackdown on illegal online video gambling ads 

Local media also reported last year that the commission cracked down on social media coverage and advertising of illegal online video gambling platforms. 

The commission said illegal gambling has a serious impact on security and social order and affects the operations of licenced casino businesses in the country.