A dozen casinos in Cambodia are linked to scamming compounds where forced labour, torture, child labour and human trafficking have taken place, Amnesty International says, even as government regulators approved the businesses this year.
An investigation by Amnesty International found that casino owners directly control buildings and sites where human rights abuses have been documented. Analysis of licensing documents issued by the Commercial Gambling Management Commission (CGMC) showed that the casinos’ plans were officially recognized in December 2025 and January 2026 — at the same time the government claimed to be cracking down on scamming compounds.
Among the approved casinos are Crown Resorts in Poipet, Bavet and Chrey Thum, as well as Majestic Two and Majestic Hotel & Casino in Sihanoukville. Survivors of scamming compounds confirmed they were held, tortured and forced to scam inside these properties. Some victims were children.
One survivor, trafficked as a child, said he was held in “building E” at the New Venetian Casino in Bavet, where he was tortured, threatened with death, and forced to eat what he described as his “last meal” in 2024. Another survivor recounted being confined at the Crown Resorts complex in Poipet, where guards used electric shock batons, causing children in the same room to cry.
Amnesty’s research also linked other casinos to documented abuses, including Peak Casino, Long Feng Xuan Casino, Huang Chao International, Golden Sea Casino, Marinan International, and Majestic properties in Sihanoukville. In all cases, the same companies have operated the casinos since at least 2022.
“This research establishes a clear link between Cambodia’s licensed casinos and its scamming compounds,” said Montse Ferrer, Amnesty International’s co-regional director. “At a time when the government says it is dismantling the scamming industry, the evidence shows it is simultaneously approving casino properties where abusive scamming compounds are run. Every day these casinos remain licensed is another day people on casino property are at risk of human rights abuse.”
Amnesty International called on Cambodian authorities to suspend the gambling licenses of these casinos and conduct a full, independent investigation into the documented violations. The organisation also urged the government to hold the owners, operators and financiers accountable under national and international law.
The investigation builds on a June 2025 Amnesty report documenting more than 50 scamming compounds across Cambodia, nearly half of which were linked to casinos. Despite a government crackdown announced in July 2025, the new approvals show state oversight has failed to prevent human rights abuses.
Amnesty International said it gave the CGMC and all casino operators the opportunity to respond to the allegations. At the time of publication, none had responded.