Hun Sen says gambling campaign over

Friday, March 06, 2009
ABC Radio Australia

Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Sen has declared victory in his fight against football betting shops in Phnom Penh.

Last month, the prime minister blamed football betting, along with slot machine games, for causing social disorder, domestic violence, divorce and robbery.

Kyodo news agency reports the prime minister has now announced his campaign to close the shops is over.

CamboSix, the largest football-betting agency in Cambodia, was given a 10-year licence as the only legal operator of football betting in Cambodia in 2001.

But that licence is now said to have been cancelled.

Hun Sen also says he'll set up a panel of legal experts to study other forms of game-related betting.

Cambo(dia) sick of CamboSix?

CamboSix Betting Halls To Be Shuttered

By Heng Reaksmey, VOA Khmer
Original report from Washington
25 February 2009

The widely popular betting franchise CamboSix will no longer have a valid license with the government, Finance Minister Keat Chhon said Wednesday, putting an end to its operation and a major dent in Cambodia’s gambling industry,.

“Last night I was in a hurry in my office to omit CamboSix’s contract,” the minister told reporters following a UNDP meeting. “Now I’ve decided to officially shut down CamboSix.”

The measure comes on the heels of a speech by Prime Minister Hun Sen this week calling for an end to the company’s contract with the government.

“The Ministry of Economy and Finance can negotiate with CamboSix, and we will pay it back and shut it down immediately,” Hun Sen said Tuesday, at a graduation ceremony at the National Institute of Education.

One CamboSix employee said she was against the new measure, which would end her job.

Keat Chhon said Wednesday those who lost work from the closure would have to find another job.

The government will now target other forms of gambling in the country, he said, including slot machines, lotteries and other enterprises.

Hun Sen tackling slot machines [-Rong Chhun: Hun Sen made a lot of announcements but his subordinates never follow up on his orders]

20 Dec 2008
By Ky Soklim and Romain Roget
Cambodge Soir Hebdo
Translated from French by Luc Sâr
Click here to read the article in French

During Friday 19 December’s meeting at the Council of Ministers, Hun Sen declared war on slot machine operators who flaunt the law.

Hun Sen asked the national police and the military police to investigate license and to put an end to the operation of slot machines in 15 gambling parlors in the kingdom. According to Hun Sen, these parlors – 12 of which are located in Phnom Penh – do not respect the 4 December directive regulating gambling machines.

He also asked the ministry of Economy and Finance about machines installed in hotels. These slot machines should theoretically be accessible to foreigners only, but Cambodians also have access to them. On this issue, Hun Sen is firm in his demand. He also announced that any parlor where fraud is perpetrated will lose its license within 24 hours.

When contacted by Cambodge Soir Hebdo, Rong Chhun, President of the Cambodia Independent Teachers’ Association (CITA), is skeptical about Hun Sen’s resolve. According to Rong Chhun, Hun Sen made a lot of announcements but his subordinates never follow up on his orders. Rong Chhun also stressed that Hun Sen’s attack should also be aimed at Cambosix (betting parlor). Soccer betting organized by Cambosix creates havocs among poor people and students.

Nevertheless, refuting Rong Chhun’s skepticism, Cambodian news media have announced today that local authorities are already at work and several gambling parlors have been shut down since yesterday.

Macau Golden Resorts Group bets big on CamboSix. Cambodian gov't gets chump change from CamboSix license

Wednesday, May 02, 2007
Macau firm bets big on Cambodia bookmaker

Staff reporter
The Standard (Hong Kong)

Golden Resorts Group (1031), the Hong Kong-listed operator of hotel- casinos in Macau, is making its first foray into the bookmaking business in Cambodia.

The group said in a statement to the Hong Kong stock exchange it has signed a memorandum of understanding in respect to the possible acquisition of a 49 percent interest in Cambo Six for HK$147 million.

Cambo Six holds a license granted by the local government to operate an exclusive bookmaking business in Cambodia for football matches. The license is valid for four years commencing from February 1, 2007, to January 31, 2011.

Golden Resorts will pay HK$63 million in cash for the acquisition, while the remaining HK$84 million will be satisfied by issuing shares at HK$0.60 per share.

The company's stock was suspended from trading Monday, pending the possible acquisition announcement, and will resume trading today. The shares last traded at HK$0.642.

The final terms of the formal agreement is expected to be entered into by May 31, the company said.

Pollyanna Chu Yuet-wah, chief executive of Golden Resorts, said the acquisition will put the company's investment plan in the Asia-Pacific region into practice.

"The economy in Asia is booming, thus we are optimistic that the gaming industry in the region has a promising outlook," Chu said.

"Our experience in Macau would bring us insights to our development in other countries. In future, we will not only seek opportunities to further expand our business in Macau, but also in other parts in the Asia-Pacific region."

Golden Resorts owns and operates two four-star hotels with gaming facilities, namely the Casa Real Hotel and Grandview Hotel in Macau. The facilities offer a combined 806 hotel rooms, 124 gaming tables, 11 VIP rooms and 77 slot machines.

Gambling on Football a Sure Bet for Teens

Thursday, March 1, 2007

Letter to the Editor
The Cambodia Daily

I wish to commend Prime Minister Hun Sen for awarding another four-year exclusive soccer betting contract to CamboSix, ("Gov't Renews CamboSix Football Betting Contract," Tuesday, page 16). So far as I know, even 13-year-old eighth graders love betting on soccer matches. So one needs not to worry about unemployment anymore, as more and more youths will at least become freelance professional gamblers.

Vuth Chanserei Phuor
Phnom Penh

CAMBOSIX renews its exclusive rights to operate betting gambling

February 25, 2007

Cambodian gambling company continues to operate gambling of Euro soccer games in Cambodia

Cambodian gambling company CAMBOSIX has recently acquired the exclusive rights again to operate the gambling of the Euro soccer games, the Commercial News reported on Saturday.

CAMBOSIX has maintained the exclusive rights for five years and paid taxes to Ministry of Economics and Finance, it said.

Except for CAMBOSIX, there are about 300 illegal companies operating gambling of the Euro soccer games in Cambodia, it said.

The government has no way to supervise their activities and the operators used to flee with money, it added.

Source: Xinhua