Foreign Casinos Have Been a Disaster for Cambodia

Besides the government crackdown on the NagaWorld casino workers' strike, the Chinese-run gambling establishment brings with it many social problems.

Megan Murphy July 7, 2022

NagaWorld 2 hotel and entertainment complex in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

On June 27, hundreds of Cambodian security guards brutally dispersed a group of striking employees at the NagaWorld casino, beating the leading ladies and injuring 10. Since December 2021, casino workers in Phnom Penh have been conducting an officially recognized strike against layoffs at NagaWorld, Cambodia's largest casino and one of the capital's major employers. The strike and related protests have led to the arrest of hundreds of members and infuriated government officials and local government media, who falsely claimed the workers' strike was started by foreign intelligence agents. NagaWorld is owned by Chinese-Malaysian entrepreneur Chen Lip Keong and is listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. NagaWorld is just one of many foreign-owned casinos that have caused new social problems in recent years.

Gambling and casinos by wealthy foreigners are nothing new in Cambodia. Foreign tourists encountered Chinese casinos in Phnom Penh as early as the 16th century. But Cambodia's gambling industry exploded in 2017, when Chinese-owned casinos took over the previously struggling resort city of Sihanoukville, ushering in an influx of Chinese tourists eager to gamble abroad, a practice banned in China except in Macau. Sihanoukville has been transformed thanks to an influx of casinos and associated Chinese hotels, restaurants and karaoke clubs, with ethnic Chinese now owning 90% of the metropolis' businesses.

Besides the government's crackdown on strikes by NagaWorld casino workers, Chinese-run gambling establishments have caused a host of social problems.

Megan Murphy

July 7, 2022

NagaWorld 2 hotel and entertainment complex in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

On June 27, hundreds of Cambodian security guards brutally dispersed a group of striking employees at NagaWorld casino, beating leading ladies and injuring 10. Since December 2021, casino workers in Phnom Penh have been on a sanctioned strike against layoffs at NagaWorld, Cambodia's largest casino and one of the capital's major employers. The strike and related protests have led to the arrest of hundreds of members and infuriated government officials and local media outlets, who falsely claimed the workers' strike was started by foreign intelligence agents. NagaWorld is owned by Chinese-Malaysian entrepreneur Chen Lip Keong and is listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. NagaWorld is just one of many foreign-owned casinos that have caused new social problems in recent years.

Gambling and casinos by wealthy foreigners are nothing new in Cambodia. Foreign travelers encountered Chinese casinos in Phnom Penh in the 16th century. But Cambodia's gambling industry exploded in 2017, when Chinese-owned casinos took over the previously struggling resort city of Sihanoukville, ushering in an influx of Chinese tourists eager to gamble abroad, a practice banned in China except in Macau. Sihanoukville has been transformed thanks to an influx of casinos and associated Chinese hotels, restaurants, and karaoke clubs, with ethnic Chinese now owning 90% of the metropolis' businesses. Besides the government's crackdown on strikes by NagaWorld casino workers, Chinese-run gambling establishments have brought a host of social problems.

Megan Murphy

July 7, 2022

NagaWorld 2 hotel and entertainment complex in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. On June 27, hundreds of Cambodian security guards brutally dispersed a group of striking employees at NagaWorld casino, beating the leading ladies and injuring 10. Since December 2021, casino workers in Phnom Penh have been on a sanctioned strike against layoffs at NagaWorld, Cambodia's largest casino and one of the capital's major employers. The strike and related protests have led to the arrest of hundreds of members and infuriated government officials and local government media outlets, who falsely claimed that the workers' strike was started by foreign spies. NagaWorld is owned by Chinese-Malaysian entrepreneur Chen Lip Keong and is listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. NagaWorld is just one of many casinos with foreign involvement that have caused new social problems in recent years.

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Gambling and casinos by wealthy foreigners are not new to Cambodia. Foreign visitors encountered Chinese casinos in Phnom Penh as far back as the 16th century, but Cambodia’s gambling industry exploded in 2017 when Chinese-owned casinos took over the previously struggling resort town of Sihanoukville, ushering in an influx of Chinese tourists eager to gamble abroad, a practice banned in China except in Macau. Sihanoukville has been transformed thanks to an influx of casinos and associated Chinese hotels, restaurants and karaoke clubs, with ethnic Chinese now owning 90 percent of the metropolis’ businesses.

China’s expanding interest in Cambodian gambling has benefited NagaWorld, which has had a monopoly on gambling within a 190-kilometer radius of Phnom Penh since 2000. Prime Minister Hun Sen has supported increased Chinese gambling investment, saying Cambodians would “benefit” from $1 billion in foreign direct investment targeted at Sihanoukville. However, while some local establishments have benefited from the expansion of overseas casinos, two recent actions have negated the benefits for Cambodians.

On June 27, hundreds of Cambodian security guards brutally dispersed a group of striking employees at the NagaWorld casino, beating the leading ladies and injuring 10. Since December 2021, casino workers in Phnom Penh have been conducting an officially recognized strike against layoffs at NagaWorld, Cambodia's largest casino and one of the capital's major employers. The strike and related protests have led to the arrest of hundreds of members and infuriated government officials and local government media, who falsely claimed the workers' strike was started by foreign intelligence agents. NagaWorld is owned by Chinese-Malaysian entrepreneur Chen Lip Keong and is listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. NagaWorld is just one of many foreign-owned casinos that have caused new social problems in recent years.

Gambling and casinos by wealthy foreigners are nothing new in Cambodia. Foreign tourists encountered Chinese casinos in Phnom Penh as early as the 16th century. But Cambodia's gambling industry exploded in 2017, when Chinese-owned casinos took over the previously struggling resort city of Sihanoukville, ushering in an influx of Chinese tourists eager to gamble abroad, a practice banned in China except in Macau. Sihanoukville has been transformed thanks to an influx of casinos and associated Chinese hotels, restaurants and karaoke clubs, with ethnic Chinese now owning 90% of the metropolis' businesses.

Besides the government's crackdown on strikes by NagaWorld casino workers, Chinese-run gambling establishments have caused a host of social problems.

Megan Murphy

July 7, 2022

NagaWorld 2 hotel and entertainment complex in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

On June 27, hundreds of Cambodian security guards brutally dispersed a group of striking employees at NagaWorld casino, beating leading ladies and injuring 10. Since December 2021, casino workers in Phnom Penh have been on a sanctioned strike against layoffs at NagaWorld, Cambodia's largest casino and one of the capital's major employers. The strike and related protests have led to the arrest of hundreds of members and infuriated government officials and local media outlets, who falsely claimed the workers' strike was started by foreign intelligence agents. NagaWorld is owned by Chinese-Malaysian entrepreneur Chen Lip Keong and is listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. NagaWorld is just one of many foreign-owned casinos that have caused new social problems in recent years.

Gambling and casinos by wealthy foreigners are nothing new in Cambodia. Foreign travelers encountered Chinese casinos in Phnom Penh in the 16th century. But Cambodia's gambling industry exploded in 2017, when Chinese-owned casinos took over the previously struggling resort city of Sihanoukville, ushering in an influx of Chinese tourists eager to gamble abroad, a practice banned in China except in Macau. Sihanoukville has been transformed thanks to an influx of casinos and associated Chinese hotels, restaurants, and karaoke clubs, with ethnic Chinese now owning 90% of the metropolis' businesses. Besides the government's crackdown on strikes by NagaWorld casino workers, Chinese-run gambling establishments have brought a host of social problems.

Megan Murphy

July 7, 2022

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Meghan Murphy

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