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Cambodian PM Calls for Casino Ban

PHNOM PENH -- You may soon find it a little difficult to gamble in Cambodia if co-Premier Prince Norodom Ranariddh has his way. He said he believed dozens of casinos were operating illegally in the capital and should be closed.

"My opinion is that the government must shut all casinos,'' Ranariddh said, adding that he believed all casinos in the kingdom were illegal. Apparently Cambodia has no law legalizing casino.

The prince was reportedly responding to reports that a Malaysian company, Ariston Sdn Bhd, said the government had reneged on an agreement to give it the sole right to operate casinos under the terms of a $1.3-billion-development project. Ariston executive K.C. Chan said the government had broken their agreement by not closing about 40 casinos that have opened in the capital since a half-hearted crackdown in late 1995.

The government in late 1995 closed all casinos in Phnom Penh except the Ariston operation and one in a local hotel. Most have since reopened, and many new casinos have opened with impunity.

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