Cambodia Bets Casinos Can Boost Tourism

Cambodian developers are betting that casinos can make the tiny Southeast Asian country a bigger draw for high-spending tourists. The nation of 15 million people has more than 25 casinos, but most are small affairs in rough-and-tumble border towns that cater to hard-core Thai, Chinese and Vietnamese gamblers. Now, as the country continues to stabilize after political chaos in the 1970s, ’80s and ’90s, developers are pushing ahead with more-ambitious resorts hoping to attract a broader clientele. But some skeptics say the odds of success are long. Government officials have blessed the idea of adding new casinos, despite protests from advocacy groups that worry that the projects will generate crime and push some residents off their land. The government says casinos generated about $20 million in tax revenue last year, up 25% from the year before. That revenue is helping Cambodia develop in such areas as education and health, said Phay Siphan, a spokesman for Cambodia’s Council of Ministers. The casinos also will encourage tourism, he said. …

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