The Cambodian government has ordered all slot machines in the country’s entertainment clubs to be removed, but will allow them to remain in many of the kingdom’s hotels—though only for the use of foreign guests.
How well the new rules will be enforced only time will tell. Modern Cambodia has a track record for creative and relaxed interpretation of many government directives—perhaps as a long term psychological reaction to the puritanical excesses of the murderous Khmer Rouge regime in the 1970s, or perhaps because it’s par for the course in Indochina.
According to a directive signed by Prime Minister Hun Sen on 2nd December, “the government has agreed in principle to open entertainment clubs equipped with slot machines at hotels in cities and some provinces”.
To control alleged abuse of the licensing system (including reportedly the blatant ignoring of it) the government will require companies running slot machines to get licences from the Ministry of Economy and Finance. Only hotels that have certifications from the Ministry of Tourism will be allowed to house the machines, the new law stipulates.
If a company refuses to move their machines into hotels within six months, the ministries of the Interior and Economy will withdraw their licences, says a report in the English-language Phnom Penh Post.
The newspaper said the prime minister’s directive clearly reiterated that Cambodians are not allowed to go to an area designated for slot machines, adding that if this law is broken, the offending company’s licence will be immediately withdrawn.
Chea Peng Chheang, secretary of state at the Finance Ministry, said the government believes that many of the companies currently licensed to run slot machines do not follow this law.
Sam Rainsy Party lawmaker Son Chhay said that the government directive should be welcomed by Cambodians.
“If slot machines are controlled well, there will be more money flowing to the nation,” he said.
