TLDR
- Cambodia’s Justice Ministry reviewed a draft law aimed at strengthening penalties for illegal gambling.
- Officials met in Phnom Penh on August 10, including representatives from the Justice Ministry, Interior Ministry, police, and the Commercial Gambling Management Commission.
- The draft law is designed to align enforcement more closely with Cambodia’s existing commercial gambling statute.
- The review follows plans announced last month for nationwide casino inspections.
- Amnesty International raised concerns in April about casino licenses tied to trafficking, forced labor, and torture.
Cambodia’s government is reviewing a new draft law that could increase penalties for illegal gambling. The review is being led by the Justice Ministry.
Officials met in Phnom Penh on August 10 to discuss the plan. The meeting brought together several government agencies.
Representatives from the Justice Ministry, Interior Ministry, police force, and Commercial Gambling Management Commission attended. They discussed how enforcement could become more consistent across the country.
The draft law is meant to work alongside Cambodia’s existing commercial gambling statute. Officials want penalties for illegal gambling to match up with current rules.
The plan also focuses on coordination between agencies. Better communication between police, ministries, and regulators is seen as key to enforcing the law.
Draft Law Targets Illegal Activity
The draft law is still under review. No timeline has been given for when it might be approved.
This legal review is not happening on its own. It follows other steps taken by regulators in recent months.
Last month, Cambodia’s gambling regulator said it would carry out inspections of casinos across the country. Details about when these inspections will start have not been released.
The inspections are part of a wider effort to monitor the commercial gaming industry. Regulators want a clearer picture of how casinos are operating.
Pressure Over Casino Operations
Cambodia’s gambling industry has faced criticism in recent months. In April, Amnesty International said some casino licenses issued in late 2025 and early 2026 were linked to locations where trafficking and forced labor had been reported.
The group also pointed to reports of torture at some of these sites. These claims have added pressure on the government to review how casinos are approved and supervised.
The draft law and the planned inspections both come after this criticism. Officials appear to be responding to concerns raised about oversight in the gambling sector.
The Commercial Gambling Management Commission also shared its plans for the rest of 2026. In a Facebook post on July 20, the commission outlined priorities for the second half of the year.
The post also mentioned a longer-term strategy running from 2027 to 2030. This suggests regulators are planning changes that go beyond the current draft law.
Cambodia is now working on several fronts at once. This includes penalties, agency coordination, casino inspections, and long-term planning.
The outcome of the draft law will depend on the legal process ahead. Officials say the review reflects an ongoing effort to address illegal gambling and improve oversight of casinos.
