A new investigation by Amnesty International has revealed that Cambodian regulators have granted official approval to casinos directly linked to scamming compounds where torture, forced labour and human trafficking have taken place.

According to licensing documents from Cambodia’s Commercial Gambling Management Commission (CGMC), at least a dozen casinos are controlled by companies operating sites where survivors reported being confined and abused. Amnesty’s findings show that these approvals were issued in December and January, during what the government claimed was a nationwide crackdown on scamming compounds.

Among those recognised are Crown casinos in Poipet, Bavet and Chrey Thum, as well as the Majestic Hotel & Casino in Sihanoukville. Amnesty documented testimony from victims who identified specific buildings within these complexes where they were held, tortured or forced to work. One survivor described guards using electric shock batons while children cried in the same room. Another, trafficked as a child, recounted being tortured in a dark room at the New Venetian Casino before escaping by jumping from a window.

The report highlights a systemic pattern: casinos such as Casino Kyom, Marinan International, Peak Casino, Long Feng Xuan and Golden Sea were all recognised by the CGMC despite evidence of trafficking and enslavement on their premises. Amnesty argues that this contradiction raises serious questions about whether Cambodian regulators are legitimising companies tied to grave abuses.

Montse Ferrer, Amnesty’s Co‑Regional Director, said: “Every day that these casinos remain licensed is another day in which people on casino property are at risk of human rights abuse.” The organisation is calling for the immediate suspension of gambling licences and independent investigations into owners, financiers and operators.

The revelations follow Amnesty’s June 2025 report, which identified more than 50 scamming compounds across Cambodia operating as prison‑like facilities. Nearly half were linked to casinos. Despite government promises of a crackdown, the approval of casino plans suggests state complicity or deliberate inaction.

Amnesty warns that the scale of abuse in Cambodia’s casino sector is “industrialised” and demands accountability at every level. The report concludes that both the state and private businesses bear responsibility under international law, and failure to act risks perpetuating a system where profit is prioritised over human rights.

-2026-04-04

No corruption happening here. Just move on...