An estimated 10,000 Chinese citizens have fled the Cambodian city of Sihanoukville in the space of a few days following a recently announced crackdown on online gambling operations, according to reports.
Citing various sources, the South China Morning Post stated on Thursday that the Sihanoukville exodus had seen one-way flights from the coastal casino hotspot back to China fully booked out, while around two-thirds of the Chinese population in Cambodia’s Vietnamese border town of Bavet had made the trek to Phnom Penh to prepare for a similar exit.
It was revealed last month that Cambodia would stop issuing online gaming licenses and wouldn’t renew any current licenses when they expire, as per a directive from Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen.
The directive is believed to follow pressure from Beijing to crack down on a surge in casino developments in Sihanoukville, Bavet and Poipet – the majority of which have been focused on the provision of China-facing online gaming operations.
