Casinos in Cambodia: what visitors should understand

Understand Cambodia’s licensed physical casinos, visitor restrictions and online gambling ban. Phnom Penh and border towns are not offshore law-free zones.

In Cambodia

Licensed premises, not offshore cities

Cambodia regulates commercial gambling through the Commercial Gambling Management Commission, usually abbreviated CGMC. Rajah & Tann’s September 2025 legal update explains that a lawful casino must have a valid CGMC licence for its specified location and approved games, personnel and equipment. A city name, hotel booking or foreign-owned company is not a substitute for those permissions. Describing the whole of Phnom Penh, Poipet or Bavet as an offshore gambling zone would therefore mislead visitors. A special economic zone is also a different concept: it concerns investment administration and industrial activity, not an automatic casino authorisation.

Who may enter a casino

The same law firm’s explanation of CGMC Instruction No. 005/25, issued in May 2025, identifies Cambodian citizens, people under 18 and other legally excluded persons among those barred from casino access. Foreign nationality alone should not be treated as an unconditional admission guarantee. Check the venue’s current identification requirements directly before visiting. Hotel restaurants, conference rooms and other non-gaming facilities can have their own access arrangements; ask which areas your reservation covers, particularly when travelling with a family.

Online gambling is a separate question

On 1 October 2026, Cambodia’s official news agency AKP reported the government’s renewed nationwide prohibition of online gambling and online betting, including activity inside casino premises. A physical casino licence must not be interpreted as permission to run or use an online betting operation. Nor does a website accepting a registration prove that its use is lawful in Cambodia. This guide does not list gambling websites or present border towns as a workaround.

What to check before choosing a venue

Ask for the legal operating name, the current licensing position and the exact premises to which it applies. Distinguish a dated corporate announcement from present authorisation: AKP reported casino licence revocations and suspensions in September 2026. For any hotel stay, obtain the room terms, taxes, transport arrangements and cancellation policy in writing. Check these practical details even if the trip involves no gambling. Keep accommodation and return-transport money separate from discretionary entertainment spending.

Put the wider visit first

Phnom Penh, Battambang, the coast and the border provinces have very different reasons to visit. Do not build an itinerary around an assumed open crossing or an old casino list. InCambodia covers this sector as part of understanding places, tourism and regulation. The related border guides explain access checks, while the city guides focus on culture, food, sport and local businesses. Permission, availability and travel access are separate questions that need separate answers.