Cambodia’s casinos cleared to reopen with medical precautions

Cambodia’s casinos have been cleared to reopen provided they observe strict health requirements aimed at minimizing further COVID-19 transmission.

On Friday, Cambodia’s Prime Minister Hun Sen declared that casinos would be allowed to reopen provided they obtain the approval of Ministry of Health officials. A government spokesman announced the PM’s decision in a Facebook post following the government’s weekly cabinet meeting.

Cambodia’s casinos, including NagaCorp’s NagaWorld facility in Phnom Penh and the smaller gaming venues in border areas such as Bavet and Poipet as well as the once-thriving Sihanoukville region, were all ordered closed on April 1 as the government attempted to flatten its COVID-19 curve.

The medical measures that casinos will be required to impose weren’t specified in the report. The government has reportedly promised unspecified tax breaks for the country’s casino operators, which could end up benefiting their rank-and-file staff, many of whom have struggled financially during their COVID-19 furloughs.