Amnesty International Report Links Twelve Licensed Cambodian Casinos to Global Cybercrime and Severe Human Rights Abuses

Amnesty International finds twelve licensed Cambodian casinos are linked to human trafficking, torture, and global cybercrime scamming compounds.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 4, 2026, 8:15 AM EDT

Source: The information in this article was sourced from iGB Markets

The Paradox of State Sanctioned Gambling and Organized Crime

Amnesty International has released a scathing report challenging the Cambodian government’s narrative regarding its recent efforts to dismantle the regional cybercrime industry. While official statements suggest a rigorous rooting out of criminal elements, the human rights organization identifies a dozen licensed casinos that remain directly tethered to sophisticated scamming operations. According to investigators, these facilities are not merely venues for gaming but serve as fortified enclosures where human trafficking and forced labor are used to fuel multi billion dollar fraud schemes.

High Profile Political Ties and the Architecture of Impunity

The report places specific scrutiny on the business interests of Sino Cambodian tycoon Kok An, a prominent figure with deep ties to the national political elite. Ownership documents from the Commercial Gambling Management Commission allegedly link Anco Brothers Co Ltd to at least three properties where survivors have documented systematic abuse. These findings suggest that the infrastructure of the gambling industry is being utilized by politically connected individuals to provide a veneer of legitimacy to operations involving the confinement and physical mistreatment of workers.

The Geographic Concentration of Fraud in Sihanoukville and Poipet

The documented abuses are predominantly concentrated in Sihanoukville and border enclaves such as Poipet, which historically cater to foreign patrons. These regions have reportedly evolved into hubs for so called pig butchering scams, which combine elements of online romance and cryptocurrency fraud. Despite the closure of approximately 190 scam centers earlier this year, Amnesty International contends that new centers are rapidly replacing those that were shuttered, often under the same licensed frameworks that the government claims to be tightening.