Cambodia's Casinos Fuel COVID-19 Surge After Border Closures
Cambodia enforced strict measures in March 2020, suspending tourism visas and closing land borders to halt COVID-19. These steps yielded near-zero deaths and only 463 cases by January 2021, mostly contained imports. Community outbreaks from February shattered this record, with cases climbing to tens of thousands amid casino-linked transmissions and cross-border sex work.
Quarantine Breach Ignites February 20 Outbreak
Four Chinese nationals tested positive upon arrival but bribed their way out of a Phnom Penh quarantine hotel. Security footage captured them at the N8 nightclub, where contact tracing identified 32 infections. The women they met visited upscale apartments, hotels, KTVs, massage parlours, and private schools, spreading the virus before police raided NagaWorld Casino and found 11 positive staff.
Casino Industry Harbors Trafficking and Crime
Cambodia hosts 150 border mega-casinos in special economic zones exempt from national laws, drawing gamblers from Thailand, China, and Vietnam. These sites link to drug smuggling, money laundering, and human trafficking; a UNODC report noted a 425 percent rise in Poipet cases from 2015 to 2017. Despite pandemic bans on local gambling, operations persisted, with arrests revealing smuggled workers from Vietnam and China staffing venues in Sihanoukville, Poipet, and border provinces.
Outbreaks Cluster in Casino Hubs
Data from analyst David Benaim pinpointed unconnected virus pockets in Sihanoukville and Vietnamese border towns before linking to the February 20 cluster. Casinos in Poipet, Kandal, and Kampot reported staff infections, including 56 at one Kampot site and 13 at Star Complex after a raid. Prime Minister Hun Sen allowed reopenings with precautions, even as border police faced accusations of aiding traffickers.
Trafficking Persists Amid Pandemic Hardships
Authorities arrested brokers smuggling women across borders, yet protected the February 20 women, fining only the guard. Sex workers faced shutdowns without support; few hold IDPoor cards for aid. Experts note rising desperation fueled younger victims into KTVs, with corruption sustaining networks despite closures.
