The End of Online Gambling?

PHNOM PENH: On August 18, 2017 – The government published a directive to stop the issuance of internet gambling licenses both within and outside the country.
The Royal Government’s Directive, have issued the following three guidelines:
1: Police officers, justice and authorities at all levels must increase their search and crack down on online and local online gambling businesses without a license from the Ministry.
2: For all online, local and international online gambling businesses, licenses are allowed to operate to the limits set forth in the license and not break any laws. After that, the Ministry of Economy and Finance has the option to not renew the license for this type of gambling business.
3. The Government ceases to provide online gambling and licensing policies and licenses, both within and outside of the Kingdom of Cambodia, from the date of signing this directive.

The announcement comes after the government observed that some of the local and international online gambling businesses have received governmental permission and some are secretly operating in different locations. Some foreign criminals have resorted to this type of gambling to engage in scams to extort money from victims both inside and outside the country, which affect the security and public order in society.

Such activity is in almost all 25 provinces, and very few have proper licenses, most places are fraudulent and illegal. Such operations also bring more crime, such as kidnapping and drug trafficking to the areas where they are located. NKD

*This directive comes a few days after it was reported more gambling operations would be moved to border provinces.

UPDATE: (16.08) Confirmed in English via Xinhua