Betting ad ban ‘to be enforced’

The Ministry of Information has ordered media to stop advertising any form of gambling, be it on radio, television, the web or in print.

In a letter signed August 1, Minister of Information Khieu Kanharith wrote that the ministry “had [already] informed the media to stop advertising gambling, but there are still some who attract Cambodians to the game by promoting betting on football, horse races and online games”.

The letter stated that the move was made to “keep public order and societal morality”.

“In case a media organisation still abuses the rules, the ministry will take legal action,” Kanharith wrote.

Touch Sophorn, marketing manager of Angkor Thom magazine, said yesterday that his publication had never advertised gambling and that he supported the Ministry of Information’s warning.

“I think it’s good the Ministry of Information issued this ban on gambling advertisements because, as we know, gambling is immoral,” he said.