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Cambodia PM orders casinos shut down as COVID-19 cases climb

The pandemic Coronavirus is continuing to devastate the entire world. With each passing the day, the numbers of severe cases have only kept increasing. Many leaders in different countries have been concerned about what the virus would entail, and Cambodia is no exception to the ongoing situation. Reporting a tally of 107 confirmed cases with no recorded death till date.

When compared to other countries like China with 81k cases and South Korea with 9k so far, Cambodia has seemingly lower count in comparison. However, in order to curb the growing number, the Prime Minister Hun Sen is taking extra measures.

Casinos tend to attract numerous visitors around the year. Following a report, four new cases of COVID-19 appeared involving a 30-year-old casino and karaoke club employee. Thus, the governement announced that all casinos in Cambodia will close from midnight on Thursday following an order from the PM.

Under measures to be introduced by the Ministry of Economy and Finance, aimed at containing the spread of COVID-19, all casinos nationwide must close from 11:59 pm on Wednesday, 1 April until further notice with the government to “take action in accordance with the law in force accordingly” against any operators that fail to comply.

“I would like to clarify to various gamblers that if you want to gamble, do it tonight. There is still tonight and tomorrow night,” Sen said in a statement, further adding, “This is just a temporary closure, and they will be allowed to resume their operations when the situation stabilizes.” In a news conference, Sen mentioned that the finance ministry will work together with the casinos regarding tax exemptions during the suspension which will impact about 120 operational casinos across the country, the most notable being NagaWorld in Phnom Penh.

The Cambodian Prime Minister also explained the reason for delaying the closure until Wednesday in order to provide time for the government to discuss details with the casino owners. “It is because casino employers need to solve the issues with their employees,” he said. “If we close the casinos right away, then casino employers will flee.”

For more updates on casinos and gaming industry news, keep reading GutshotMagazine.com and stay tuned!

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