The Chinese Embassy in Cambodia has urged Chinese nationals in the country to stay away from gambling and to avoid online betting, telecom fraud and other illegal activities, in an advisory issued as a four-month visa-free entry arrangement for Chinese passport holders took effect.
In the notice, the embassy said Cambodian authorities have continued to step up their crackdown on telecom and internet fraud, online gambling and unlawful detention. It called on Chinese citizens to refrain from taking part in online gaming and telecom scams, and not to place trust in false “high-salary recruitment” advertisements that can lead to illegal employment.
The advisory accompanies a visa-free policy running from June 15th to October 15th, 2026, allowing holders of ordinary Chinese passports to enter Cambodia from China or a third country without a prior visa. The arrangement permits multiple entries, with each stay capped at 14 days, and requires travelers to complete an electronic arrival card (E-Arrival Card).
The advisory echoes similar reminders issued by Chinese missions elsewhere in Asia. In February, around the Lunar New Year travel period, embassies in Singapore, South Korea and the Philippines urged Chinese nationals to avoid gambling, noting that Chinese law bars citizens from gambling overseas even at legally operated casinos. The Chinese Embassy in Singapore has issued repeated warnings since 2024.
Cambodia banned the issuance of online gambling licenses in 2019, with the prohibition taking full effect in 2020. The country’s casino sector, which legally serves only foreign patrons, has faced renewed scrutiny: authorities say they have closed 91 casinos and raided more than 250 suspected scam centers since mid-2025.
