Cambodia seeks regulatory guidance from Victoria’s VGCCC amid reputation cleanup

Cambodia’s gaming regulator has turned to Australia’s Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission (VGCCC) for expertise as it attempts to overhaul its embattled casino sector. During a recent meeting, the two bodies exchanged views on casino regulation, compliance, enforcement, risk-based approaches, and responsible gambling, according to a statement from the Cambodian regulator. The collaboration also examined the strength of Victoria’s licensing framework, with an eye to closing loopholes in Cambodia’s own system.

The VGCCC welcomed the engagement on social media, stating: “We value opportunities to engage with international counterparts and strengthen relationships that support knowledge exchange.” The commission added that it looks forward to continued cooperation.

The outreach comes as Cambodia fights to restore confidence in its gambling industry after widespread allegations linked it to Southeast Asia’s online scam network. Prime Minister Hun Manet has declared a “war to restore reputation,” warning that online scams are damaging the country’s image and public trust. He pledged an ongoing crackdown on the illicit operations.

Victoria itself has a history of rebuilding trust after regulatory scandals. Its current framework bans junkets, mandates CCTV monitoring, runs a tip-off programme for criminal activity, and enforces tighter collaboration with AUSTRAC and police—a path Cambodia now seeks to emulate.

As part of its clean-up, Cambodian authorities have closed 91 casinos accused of supporting online fraud networks. State media reported that over the past nine months, authorities raided 250 online scam centres and detained more than 13,000 foreign nationals linked to such operations in Phnom Penh, following pressure from China to act on cross-border gambling.