PHNOM PENH: The Commercial Gambling Management Commission (CGMC) issued a statement warning strict action against unlicensed advertising for commercial gambling and illegal online gambling.

The CGMC said that recently, members of the public and social media influencers have been promoting and producing short videos and creating entertainment content to attract users for illegal gambling games, which the commission says has a serious impact on security, public order and social order.

To strengthen law enforcement and maintain public order the General Secretariat of the CGMC instructed all commercial gambling game operators to immediately stop advertising until further notice. The commission also requested video producers and social media creators to immediately cease any promotion of gambling games on their platforms.

The CGMC warned that any activity involving the dissemination or distribution of videos containing any form of online gambling is illegal. They warned that failure to comply with these orders will face strict legal action.

Cambodia enforced its first comprehensive legislation regulating casinos and commercial gambling in November 2020 and has been renewing commitments to stamp out illegal online gambling ever since former Prime Minister Hun Sen voided the licenses of most online gambling hubs in January of that year.