Amnesty International reported that there are currently “a dozen casinos” being licensed to operate in Cambodia for online scam operations with serious implications for ongoing violations of human rights.
While the Cambodian gov’t has made claims about a crackdown on cyber crime, the report says that “at least a dozen casinos” have been “directly linked to scamming and abuse” where people are “tortured, forced into labour, used for child labour or trafficked for sex.”
There are 3 casinos in particular mentioned by name in the report that were allegedly operated by Kok An with strong reported links to previous government officials. He is listed in the business world as having worked for Anco Group, the umbrella company for numerous businesses within the country of Cambodia.
The report uses data provided by the regulator of commercial gambling, the Commercial Gambling Management Commission, to demonstrate that all casino operators establish and manage their own facilities through an on-site office and that 12 casinos have provided evidence of documented abuse.
Cambodian authorities have reported close to thousands of being arrested in conjunction with the anti-cyber-crime campaign that had initially targeted “pig-butchering.” Furthermore, nearly 190 scam operations linked with casinos have been shut down and some major firms, such as Prince Group Holdings, have had their gaming licenses taken away.
Cambodian regulators say these actions are evidence of the Cambodian gov’t’s commitment to “provide stronger regulation of commercial gaming and to ensure that the operations are conducted legally.”
Montse Ferrer, Co-Regional Director at Amnesty International, said the research “establishes a clear link between Cambodia’s licensed casinos and its scamming compounds.” He added that while authorities claim to be dismantling the industry, “the evidence shows it is simultaneously recognising the plans for casino properties where abusive scamming compounds are run.”
