Cambodian government ceases new licenses

It has been confirmed that the Cambodian Government has, with immediate effect, stopped issuing new online licenses within the country. The directive,  which was signed by the Prime Minister Hun Sen on the 18^th of August, is part of an effort to clamp down on illegal gambling actives within the nation.  

It is claimed that this news follows a number of licenses being issued, with it being estimated that more than 150 have been granted in recent months.  

However, the announcement comes amidst huge concerns within the Asian country, where there is a significant number of illegal operators. It’s believed that these organisations are actively targeting Cambodian and foreign players.

Many of these operations are said to be operating out of the Shihanouk province, a locality that has often been in the media for this reason. In recent months, it was proven that fraudsters in the area were using iGaming as a way to cheat and extort money from players. 

The directive alleges that this illegal behaviour is having damaging consequences on the economy and social order of the country.  

As a result, the directive has confirmed that the government will no longer be issuing or renewing licenses and in addition there will be no further updates to current regulations.  

This move means that licensees will be able to operate until the date that their license expires, after which point, they will be asked to leave the country and immediately shut down operations.

The directive also instructs law enforcement officials to intensify their search for unlicensed operators and to take tough action on any and all that are identified.