Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manit has taken decisive action to stop the expansion of gambling activities in the country, saying it has a harmful impact on the country.
Local media reported that Hong Manit announced a moratorium on new licences and the possible revocation of existing ones during a meeting with Cambodian communities in Australia and New Zealand.
The Prime Minister also urged investors to understand the move, stressing that even if they operate within the legal framework, the government is equally against promoting gambling.
He stressed that any form of illegal gambling would be counterproductive and would be eradicated regardless of its scale or community nature.
Responding to concerns about profitability, the Prime Minister stressed that gambling posed significant challenges and urged investors to recognise this reality.
He noted that over the past two decades, Cambodia has made significant progress to achieve middle-income country status without relying on profits from illegal gambling activities.
In 2020, Cambodia passed the Commercial Gambling Regulation Law, the country’s first legal framework to comprehensively regulate gambling activities.
Under this law, the Cambodian Commercial Gaming Committee is primarily responsible for approving major gambling activities within permitted areas.
