Cambodia Strips Casino Kchom’s License Over Trafficking

Cambodia’s gambling regulator has turned a four-month suspension into a lifetime ban. The Commercial Gambling Management Commission (CGMC) confirmed on August 3, 2026 that Casino Kchom in Kampot Province has permanently lost its operating license over trafficking and fraud allegations.

What Happened: A Temporary Kampot Casino Ban Becomes a Permanent License Revocation

Casino Kchom’s suspension became an outright cancellation after regulators found no basis to reinstate the property. Cambodia officially confirmed on August 3, 2026, the permanent revocation of the license held by Casino Kchom, located in Kampot Province, following an investigation that connected the property to alleged online scams, human trafficking, labour exploitation and money laundering, according to Mundo Video Entertainment. Casino Licence No. 062 CGMC, originally granted on July 28, 2022, to Zhou Cheng K.P Hotel Co., Ltd., has been permanently cancelled after remaining suspended for more than four months. The property sits in Kampong Trach District, Kampot Province, near the Vietnamese border, an area where most casinos depend on international visitors because Cambodian law generally prohibits local citizens from entering commercial casinos.

The paper trail behind the ban stretches back over a year. The administrative decision was adopted on July 22, 2026, while its international disclosure came on August 3, closing a case that first surfaced as a suspension order months earlier.

The Allegations: How Trafficking and Fraud Claims Drove the Regulator’s Decision

Investigators say the casino functioned as a front for scam operations rather than a straightforward gaming floor. Authorities began investigating the site in mid-2025 after receiving reports that fraudsters were using the casino as a base for fake investment schemes, according to FocusGN, citing the CGMC. The inquiry found evidence of deceptive recruitment practices, forced illegal labour and other activities connected to online scam operations.

Legal consequences have already reached the alleged owner. The casino has been linked to former Cambodian tycoon Ly Kuong, who was arrested on January 15th, with Cambodian authorities identifying him as the alleged owner and operator of the casino complex, AGB reported. Prosecutors have since charged the property’s owner and alleged accomplices with illegal recruitment for exploitation, organised fraud and money laundering. Per our records, this case fits a pattern this system tracks across Southeast Asia, where license revocations increasingly follow criminal prosecutions rather than administrative fines alone.

Regulatory Context: Tighter Casino Oversight Spreads Across Jurisdictions

Casino Kchom is not an isolated case within Cambodia’s own audit. A nationwide sweep inspecting all of Cambodia’s 195 casinos resulted in 19 casinos having their licenses revoked and another 30 suspended over alleged links to online scams, the Phnom Penh Post reported, as cited by AsGam. Human rights scrutiny has compounded the pressure: an April report by Amnesty International alleged that multiple casino complexes in Cambodia had connections to facilities where trafficking, forced labour and other abuses had occurred, per GGRAsia.

Cambodia is far from alone in reshaping how casino licensing is policed. Ireland’s gambling regulator has been building out its own compliance architecture, as detailed in our coverage of Ireland’s GRAI licensing framework, illustrating a broader global trend toward stricter operator accountability even where enforcement tools differ from Cambodia’s criminal-justice-driven approach.

What Does This Mean for Players? Where to Complain and How to Verify a Casino’s License

The practical takeaway is simple: never deposit at a casino brand tied to a revoked or suspended license, and confirm status directly with the issuing regulator before playing. Casino Kchom’s case shows how a suspension can sit for months before becoming permanent, so a “temporarily paused” status on a license register is not a green light to resume play once it reappears.

• Check the operator’s license number and issuing authority against the regulator’s own public register, not a marketing page.
• Treat any casino under active suspension as high-risk until a final decision is published.
• If funds are already on deposit at a sanctioned operator, document transaction records immediately for any later dispute.

Players who suspect a license mismatch or unresolved payout issue can escalate through the Casino Complaints hub, while broader background checks on an operator’s standing are easier to run through the Casino Reviews rubric. Casino Kchom’s downfall is a reminder that a license granted in 2022 can still be pulled in 2026 once an investigation catches up with it. More casino industry news coverage is available in our Casino Industry News section.