China Wants to Assist Cambodia in Ending All Types of Illegal Gambling

The dispute between China and Cambodia has resumed, with Chinese authorities proposing to assist Cambodia in putting an end to illicit cross-border and online gaming.

China in particular has made significant efforts in recent years to eradicate cross-border gambling, including the arrest of thousands of suspects, the closure of gaming businesses and sites, and more.

While doing so, the nation has been attempting to elicit a similar level of commitment from nearby nations like the Philippines and Cambodia, where China has strong trade ties and can therefore use its charm offensive.

China is still collaborating with Cambodia to limit illegal gambling
Yet, the two Asian nations have now decided to deepen their bilateral connections in order to crack down on unlawful cross-border gaming and internet gambling. In a press conference, Wang Wentian, the Chinese ambassador to Cambodia, focused in particular on illegal gaming that originated in Cambodia or was made possible by dubious groups.

According to the ambassador, China is willing to cooperate with Cambodian authorities and that transnational crime, including drug and human trafficking, unlawful internet gambling, and other illicit activities, should be dealt with quickly. The Khmer Times reported this statement. The continuing exchange of information between law enforcement in the two nations is necessary for part of this effort.

China has already been successful in communicating to Asia its intentions to outlaw unlawful gaming. Cambodia was persuaded to stop giving new licenses for online gambling, and the government further chose to suspend licensing for online gambling businesses whose licenses became null and void on January 1, 2020.

In Cambodia, the fight against illegal gambling has already started
Since then, Cambodia has also tried to target some of the hotspots in the nation associated with illegal gaming, such as Sihanoukville, a coastal city that has made news headlines for recurrent claims of human trafficking, damaging Cambodia’s reputation abroad.

Between September 15 and December 27, the nation claimed to have closed more than 200 illegal gambling establishments. Through 2023, these initiatives will continue. As part of a comprehensive overhaul of the country’s casino taxation system, Cambodia has encouraged the licensed gambling operations there to pay their fair share of taxes.