The latest crackdown in Cambodia is not limited to illegal call rooms or secret sites. According to the government, gambling venues have also been put under closer scrutiny since 91 casinos have been shut down for allegedly operating online scam activities.
These closures appear to be part of an ongoing nine-month campaign against scammers. Government officials said that over 250 online scam centers have been raided by law enforcement personnel across Cambodia. Such crackdowns focus on illegal gambling, telecom fraud, online investment scams, and related criminal networks.
Foreign-National Figures Show the Scale
The figures also show a large movement of foreign nationals during the same enforcement period. The Cambodian government said that it had deported 13,039 foreign nationals of 33 nationalities over their alleged involvement in online scam operations. Between mid-January and April 19, another 241,888 people voluntarily left the country, according to the same government report.
These statistics may not be evidence that all persons leaving the country were involved in cybercrime. However, the numbers indicate the scale of foreign-run or foreign-staffed networks in the scam business in Cambodia.
New Law Raises the Cost of Reopening
These closures follow the new Cambodian Law on Combating Online Scams. The law came into effect on April 6 after the approval by the country’s Senate on April 3 and gave prosecutors and courts stronger tools for handling this type of crime.
Under the law, scam bosses face a jail term of 15 years to 30 years or life imprisonment if their operations lead to death. The ringleaders face five years to 10 years in prison. In the cases of violence, detention, trafficking, or forced labour, the term rises to 10-20 years.
Such a law is significant to the parties involved – operators, recruiters, money-laundering channels and other intermediaries around scam networks. What was previously considered a gambling or immigration issue could now become part of a serious organized crime case.
China Adds Diplomatic Pressure
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met Prime Minister Hun Manet in Phnom Penh on April 22. During the meeting, he called for cross-border gambling and fraud to be “completely eradicated.” China has long been concerned about scam calls and online fraud targeting mainland residents from Southeast Asian bases.
That pressure does not mean Cambodia’s crackdown is only a response to Beijing. The country has also faced scrutiny from other governments and rights groups over scam compounds, forced labour, and fraud networks. But China’s public language gives the campaign extra diplomatic weight.
Bottom Line
The true test lies in what comes after the raids. Their effectiveness will depend on whether ownership networks are traced, whether closed venues stay closed, and whether cases move beyond low-level workers.
A quick shutdown of casinos may interrupt the operations of the scammers. However, they could simply move their network to smaller sites, border towns, or new corporate covers. Cambodia’s enforcement policy could gain more credibility if it moves toward the money trail, property owners, and recruiters behind these operations.
