Cambodia’s licensed casino sector is facing renewed scrutiny after Amnesty International linked at least 12 government-approved properties to scamming compounds where serious human rights abuses have allegedly taken place.
In a new investigation, Amnesty International said it had identified direct overlaps between casino complexes approved by the country’s Commercial Gambling Management Commission (CGMC) and sites where victims reported forced labor, human trafficking, torture and child exploitation. The findings build on its June 2025 report into Cambodia’s scamming industry, which described a network of more than 50 compounds operating as “prison-like facilities” under the control of organized criminal groups.
According to Amnesty International, all of the testimony it gathered relates to incidents from 2022 onwards, with the same companies continuing to operate the casinos in question throughout that period.
One newly identified site, Crown Bavet Casino, was linked to alleged abuses as recently as late 2025. Amnesty International said it interviewed two Kenyan nationals in January 2026 who reported being held against their will and subjected to forced labor at the complex. The individuals were able to identify specific buildings within the site, including through photographs taken during their confinement.
Survivor testimony also tied abuses to other Crown Resorts-linked properties in Poipet, where victims said they were detained for months, threatened with electric shock batons and forced to open bank accounts believed to have been used for money laundering. In one account, a victim described guards entering rooms and activating shock devices, while children present were crying.
Another case cited by Amnesty International involved a minor trafficked into Cambodia and allegedly held at multiple casino-linked sites, including the New Venetian Casino in Bavet. The individual claimed he was tortured before escaping by jumping from a building.
Amnesty International said it cross-referenced survivor testimony, satellite imagery and on-the-ground observations with official CGMC licensing documents and maps published in late 2025 and early 2026. The analysis identified at least 11 locations previously documented as scamming compounds that sit within casino complexes formally recognized by the regulator.
Among the properties named were casinos operated by a range of Cambodian companies, some with links to Chinese ownership or management structures. These include Crown-branded properties operated by Anco Brothers Co. Ltd., as well as sites such as Majestic Hotel & Casino, Golden Sea Casino and Peak Casino.
The timing of the approvals is likely to raise further questions. The CGMC reviewed and recognized several of the casino development plans in December 2025 and January 2026, during what authorities have described as a nationwide crackdown on scam operations.
Amnesty International said this apparent contradiction suggests that while enforcement actions have been taken in some cases, regulatory processes may still be legitimizing operators connected to abusive activities.
“This research establishes a clear link between Cambodia’s licensed casinos and its scamming compounds,” Amnesty International’s Co-Regional Director Montse Ferrer said in the report. “At a time when the government says it is dismantling the scamming industry, the evidence shows it is simultaneously recognizing the plans for casino properties where abusive scamming compounds are run.”
The NGO is calling for the immediate suspension of gambling licenses at the identified sites and a full, independent investigation into the alleged violations, including potential criminal liability for owners, financiers and operators.
The findings also underline the broader compliance and reputational risks facing the regional casino sector, particularly as regulators across Asia tighten oversight of AML, KYC and operational standards. Under the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, casino operators are expected to ensure their properties are not used to facilitate detention, coercion or exploitation, regardless of direct involvement.
Cambodia has taken some enforcement steps in recent months, including the suspension of several casinos in Preah Sihanouk province in late 2025. However, Amnesty International said it has continued to verify new accounts of abuse linked to casino complexes even after its initial report.
At the time of publication, Amnesty International said it had contacted both the CGMC and the companies named in its investigation for comment, but had not received responses.
The report is likely to intensify international scrutiny on Cambodia’s gambling sector, particularly as concerns grow over the intersection between licensed casino operations and transnational scam networks. For regulators and operators alike, the issue increasingly moves beyond compliance into questions of systemic risk and accountability.
