Cambodia to ban online gambling

Gambling is popular in Asia in all its forms, with people enjoying the thrills both online and in brick-and-mortar locations. Cambodian players are in for an unpleasant surprise, as the local government intends on banning all forms of online gambling. The reason cited by the authorities is far from satisfied, as the proponents of this legislation claim that they are doing it to preserve public order.

Why do authorities consider banning gambling?

The announcement came as a surprise, as many players were hoping for new websites offering online gambling to be fully legalized in combat gear. Prime Minister Hun Sen was the bearer of bad news, stating that the government will stop licensing online casinos. This means that prospective operators ready to enter the country and provide gambling services to local players won’t be able to do so. Existing casinos who hold a valid license can operate legally but once the license expires it won’t be reissued.

The decision to ban gambling in the kingdom of Cambodia is backed by the police, who claim that this activity affects public and social order. The arguments are centered on the criminal activities of foreign perpetrators who extort money from the victims and use gambling to cheat people out of their savings. Police officials have already announced that the authorities have been cracking down on illegal gambling operations nationwide. Hundreds of people were taken into custody and things are only expected to get worse for those who keep gambling.

When does the gambling ban come into effect?

For the time being, the only certainty is that the government is actively working on legislation that will outlaw gambling in Cambodia. There is no deadline yet, but the police have doubled their efforts of crippling illegal operations and more than 100 Chinese nationals were already arrested. Apparently they been doing so with the assistance of the Chinese government and Cambodia’s Interior Ministry is willing to step up the pace of these operations.

At the same time, the authorities are issuing warnings to local players who gamble and online casino sites that they break the law and expose themselves to phishing schemes. Measures are expected to be taken by the government to close the casinos operating illegally, while monitoring those that have valid licenses. Cambodia has turned into a gambling hub in the region, with plenty of online casinos applying for licenses to operate legally nationwide.

Cambodia is not the only country in East Asia that is ready to ban online gambling, as other neighboring nations are on the fence. The government of the Philippines could follow suit, as its officials are scheduled to meet with their Chinese counterparts in Beijing to discuss the issue. Most of the casinos that operate from these countries are focusing on the huge Chinese market, something that the Chinese regime condemns at every turn. That’s one of the reasons why Asian nations take this issue so seriously and some of them are ready to take concrete action.