On Sunday, China\'s state-run Xinhua news agency quoted Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen as saying the Southeast Asian country would no longer issue licenses to online gambling businesses. 무료 슬롯
The report also added that all such existing licenses would not be renewed upon expiration.
"The royal government has ordered the suspension of principles and licensing to operate online gambling businesses in and out of Cambodia from the date of signing the guidelines," Xinhua reported.
The document added: "For valid license holders, they will be allowed to operate until their licenses expire. After that, the Ministry of Economy and Finance will no longer renew their licenses."
Xinhua\'s report noted that "some foreign criminals have used online gambling businesses here [in Cambodia] as a front for operating telecommunications fraud to extort money from domestic and foreign victims."
This was generally understood as a reference to fraud targeting Chinese consumers.
"Some foreigners have used this form of gambling to deceive victims inside and outside the country," the Khmer Times newspaper reported separately on Monday, citing the prime minister\'s instructions.
The news outlet said the plan was related to "banning all online and arcade gambling in the kingdom to protect security and public order."
In addition to the frauds mentioned by Xinhua, the size of Chinese money being invested in gaming and hotel businesses in the Cambodian seaside resort of Sihanoukville has recently become widely known.
The Xinhua report did not clarify whether action on "online gambling" would also affect so-called "agent" or television betting. In some scenarios, such gambling could be offered at the live game table of licensed bricks and mortar casinos - via the Internet or voice phone service - to players who are not actually in the casinos.
Another form of "online gambling" is not a traditional casino, but a studio that streams live table games to players from abroad. Many legal experts who spoke with GGRAsia said any form of gambling involving remote games could be an anti-money laundering risk, as it is harder for game operators to be sure about the source of the funds gambled and the identity of the players.