Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet has announced that no new gaming licenses will be issued in the country. According to Asia Gaming Brief, the PM is open to revoking current legal licenses and has also reiterated his pledge to shut down all unsanctioned operations.
“Anything operating illegally, from small-scale enterprises to local communities, is counterproductive and will be eliminated,” he said, per the Phnom Penh Post. “I urge all investors to understand that gambling is not highly profitable and it creates difficulties.”
He made the comments during a visit to Melbourne, Australia on March 3.
“I have ordered the suspension of the issuance of gambling licenses, and am taking measures to reduce or cancel existing licenses, as they offer no benefit to society,” Manet said. “Our goal is to build factories and create jobs to generate income for the people, not expand gambling. Even legal gambling must come to an end.”
The Post reported that Manet asked Minister of Economy and Finance Aun Pornmoniroth to look into a way that existing licenses could be canceled, with operator capital diverted to other industries like manufacturing.
“We need to open factories and create jobs and businesses that put money in people’s pockets,” Manet said. “I don’t want lotteries which offer nothing to society, so we must make it difficult for them to do business, and unprofitable. They are contrary to the policy of the royal government.”
Economist Chey Tech agreed that closing lotteries and casinos “is a good thing, although if a casino is properly licensed, the government should allow it to continue to contribute to the promotion of tourism and the economy. Of course, it must be done in accordance with Cambodian law.”
He noted that people will continue to gamble, legally or otherwise, so a strictly regulated and monitored legal industry is preferable to an underground black market.
Touch Sokhak, spokesperson for the Ministry of Interior, said so far this year the body has investigated illegal gambling at 300 locations in the capital city and 18 provinces and detained almost 500 people.
Per the Post, Sokhak said 69 of the 300 cases resulted in legal action. “Of the 69 cases, one was an illegal online gambling operation and resulted in six arrests. Internet gambling under the banner of a legitimate license was uncovered in seven locations, with 31 suspects arrested. The remaining 61 cases covered a variety of illegal games of chance, with 157 suspects awaiting trial.”
Manet’s plan comes amid an ongoing crackdown on illegal gambling in the country, a primary goal of Interior Minister Sar Sokha, the Post reported.
