Gambling in Cambodia

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Bavet
at the Vietnamese border crossing

Gambling in Cambodia is officially illegal under the 1996 Law on Suppression of Gambling, which outlawed all unauthorized forms of

Cambodian government's General Department of Prisons does not list gambling as one of the 28 offenses punishable by imprisonment.[1]

The prohibition on gambling, which also extends to all forms of

slot machines located in the nation's casinos, however due to complaints of violence related to gambling debts and widespread problem gambling, slot machines were banned in 2009.[3]

Gambling as a popular pastime is ingrained in Southeast Asian culture in general and Cambodian culture in particular. Men who don't gamble are often viewed as not masculine.[4] Consequently, despite the laws against citizens gambling, illegal gambling is widespread in Cambodia. The police forces in Cambodia, ruled by one of the most corrupt governments in the world,[5] often look the other way as casinos freely allow locals to enter and provide private rooms for government and law enforcement officials, who oftentimes have a vested financial interest in the casinos, to conduct illegal gambling.[6]

Extralegal activities are also widespread outside of the permitted casinos ranging from

football and Kun Khmer matches) and unauthorized lotteries. Most of these activities are controlled by organized crime and protected by bribes to law enforcement.[7]

A number of societal issues plague Cambodia as a result of gambling, most notably gambling addiction.

Casino industry

The Grand Diamond City casino at the Poipet Thai border checkpoint

Gambling is illegal in all of the countries sharing borders with Cambodia. Communist governments in

Bavet there are "casino strips" between border checkpoints so that foreign nationals may cross the border to gamble then return home without officially passing through the Cambodian checkpoint, thereby eliminating the need for visas.[3]

In popular tourist resort areas, such as

Koh Kong and Sihanoukville, casinos are open to anybody with a foreign passport and the largest casino in the country, Phnom Penh's Naga Casino, which has exclusive gaming rights within a 200 kilometer radius of the capital, has plans to operate a charter service to fly in wealthy customers from China.[3]

Cambodia's casino industry continues to grow. In 2011 US$20 million in tax revenue was generated.[6] In 2014, 57 casinos provided an estimated $25 million in revenue to the national government,[3] while in the first nine months of 2015, 75 casinos, with ten new establishments licensed in the third quarter alone, were responsible for $29 million in government revenue and $2 billion in income for casino owners, most of which are foreign investment companies.[8]

Social issues

Cambodians often cite an old Khmer proverb lbaeng taeng vineah (Khmer: ល្បែងតែងវិនាស), "Gambling always destroys (life)",[4] which reflects the variety of social problems revolving around gambling from which Cambodia suffers, including crime related to illegal gambling and repayment of debts, domestic disputes and, destructive gambling addiction which is a huge problem in Cambodia.[9][10] Despite the official prohibition on citizens partaking in any form of unauthorized gaming, gambling is a significant part of Cambodian culture.[9][4][10]

Gambling, usually in the form of card or dice games, is traditionally only socially acceptable during the weeks surrounding New Year celebrations. However, gambling continues year-round at every opportunity, in underground card houses, lotteries (both legal and illegal), sports book, online gaming, through unlawful entry into the casinos or even impromptu games on work breaks; there is even a game called chak teuk phliang in which Cambodians will bet, sometimes up to US$1000, on when and how much it will rain.[9][4][10]

A foreign passport is required to enter a casino in Cambodia, providing a loophole that allows the many urban Cambodians with

dual citizenship to legally gamble. The rural population and those that can't produce a foreign ID must bribe the local police to gain entry to legitimate casinos. Gamblers leaving casinos or other, less formal, illicit gaming venues have reported being forced to give up to two-thirds of their daily winnings to police in order to avoid arrest when caught.[10]

There are little to no psychological services available to those addicted. Among Cambodian men, gambling, along with drinking and other such vices, is seen as a symbol conveying masculinity.

drug addiction but had not treated a single patient for gambling addiction.[9]

References

  1. ^ Keo, Chenda; Broadhurst, Roderic; Bouhours, Tierry (2011). "Inside the Cambodian Correctional System". British Journal of Community Justice. 8 (3). Retrieved 14 October 2015.
  2. ^ Hor, Kimsay (22 January 2015). "Lottery firm hopes that second bet is a charm". The Phnom Penh Post. Retrieved 14 October 2015.
  3. ^ a b c d e "Casinos in Cambodia: When the luck runs out". The Economist. 23 October 2014. Retrieved 14 October 2015.
  4. ^ a b c d e Synoda, Sokhan (2015). LIFE OUTSIDE OF THE HOME INTERROGATING MEN'S UNDERSTANDING OF THEIR ROLES IN CAMBODIA. University of Wellington.
  5. ^ Cuddy, Alice (2 June 2015). "Rule of law rank near bottom". The Phnom Penh Post. Retrieved 14 October 2015. Cambodia has again scored dismally in an annual index released today ranking the rule of law in 102 countries, placing 99th overall and the worst in the region.
  6. ^ a b Norodom, Princess Soma (17 August 2015). "Gambling a losing game". The Phnom Penh Post. Retrieved 14 October 2015.
  7. ^ Ayuthya, Den (5 July 2015). "Provincial Police Chief Orders Crackdown on Illegal Gambling in Southwest Cambodia". Radio Free Asia. Retrieved 14 October 2015.
  8. ^ May, Kunmakara (1 October 2015). "Ten More Casino Licenses Granted". Khmer Times. Retrieved 14 October 2015.
  9. ^ a b c d Will, Rachel (5 October 2012). "Scant options for gambling addicts". The Phnom Penh Post. Retrieved 14 October 2015.
  10. ^ a b c d "CAMBODIA: Gambling fuels poverty". IRIN Humanitarian News and Analysis. 2 September 2008. Retrieved 15 October 2015.

External links

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