Good morning. Behind closed doors, the real story was hiding in plain sight. Reuters found that buildings beside Cambodia’s Royal Hill Resort and Casino, leased for $200,000 a month by a group controlled by tycoon Lim Heng, were used for scams and alleged human trafficking. The report found no evidence of the group’s direct involvement. Meanwhile, Genting Hong Kong has completed its long-delayed exit from Newport World Resorts, giving AGI full control of the Manila resort and its Westside development. In the UAE, Playtech subsidiary VSTechnology has joined the regulator’s licensed vendor register.
What you need to know
- A Cambodian casino group reportedly leased buildings beside Royal Hill casino that were used for cyberfraud and human trafficking.
- Alliance Global completes buyout of Genting Hong Kong’s 40 percent stake in Newport World Resorts operator, ending the 2009 joint venture.
- Playtech subsidiary VSTechnology has joined the UAE regulator’s vendor register, taking the total number of licensed suppliers to 23.
On the radar
- China, Philippines repatriate suspect linked to gambling and fraud.
- Macau expands casino-backed community shuttle to 14 routes until 2027.
- China’s 2Q26 GDP growth slows to 4.3% as investment contracts.
- S. Korea extradites alleged operator behind $7.5B illegal gambling network.
AGB Intelligence
CAMBODIA
Cambodian casino site linked to trafficking and fraud
Three buildings leased by Cambodian tycoon Lim Heng’s Royal Hill casino were used for scam operations and human trafficking, a Reuters investigation found. The properties were connected to the resort by a paved road and formed part of a wider 200-acre compound believed to have housed about 3,000 people. The report found no evidence that Lim Heng Group directly participated in the crimes, although legal experts said landlords could face prosecution if prior knowledge were established.
Industry Updates
- Brightstar Lottery outlines ESG progress in 2025 Sustainability Report.
- Gamingtec supports Behind The Gloves in €150K fundraising at ICE 2027.
- SOFTSWISS partners with WorldGaming on 2027 iGaming Trends Report.
Corporate Spotlight
How Crypto Adoption in Asia is Changing iGaming Payments
Yevhen Krazhan, CSO at GR8 Tech, explores how surging crypto adoption across Asia is revolutionizing iGaming payments, stating: “When I look at what’s changing fastest in Asia, it’s payment behavior,” as wallets, stablecoins, and seamless cross-border transfers become deeply ingrained in player habits. The winning operators will be those that offer fast, reliable, and local deposits and withdrawals. To make sense of it, Yevhen breaks Asia into two crypto realities.
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