Jlucas wrote: ↑Mon Jun 27, 2022 8:34 am probably a dumb question but---- can card games be played if no gambling is involved? or is it all frowned upon ? UNO card game would be an example I could suggest

I remember a funny story (funny for me, maybe not for the people involved), which happened in Thailand. The Thai cops raided an expat bridge club and arrested everyone for gambling - all of them quite elderly and quite respectable. For the Thais, if people were playing cards then they must be gambling.
And tbh I don't think I've seen cards being played in Cambodia without some sort of stake.

Ok, found a link or two (hilarious) :
https://pattaya-funtown.com/jomtien-pat ... my-police/
https://www.nationthailand.com/life/30279300

Cambodia News, (Pursat): On 26 June 2022, local police authorities in Kandeang district, Pursat province, conducted two raids on gambling villagers, who were playing cards.



Police seized playing cards, beer, sheets, shoes, and also motorcycles, which were later returned to their owners. The gamblers were taken to the police station for education.

The police are keeping busy.

Cambodia News, (Battambang Province): A total of 12 elderly and middle-aged women who like to gather together to play illegal gambling (and drinking beer) have been transferred by the district police in Borvel district, Battambang province, to measure their height and educate them not to commit such crimes again. This is according to the information source from the report of the Battambang Police Commissioner, this morning, Monday, August 29, 2020.


The same report continues that the illegal gambling addicts above were detained in a raid by police on Sunday, August 26th. Gambling materials and beer were confiscated from the women by the officers.

Did they take the ring pull free can prize's also.
Good to see the important things are being taken care of.

Three Old Women Caught Gambling Illegally

Cambodia News, (Pursat Province): According to the information source from the report of Pursat Provincial Police, police of Bakan District Police Inspectorate cracked down on illegal gambling (card games), and arrested 3 perpetrators on the afternoon of September 13, 2022 at 15:10 in the forest behind the house of Born Boeun, a 58-year-old female, living in Samaki Village, Bakan District, Pursat Province.

Colonel Neang Vuth, Inspector of the Bakan District Police Inspectorate, said today that the three perpetrators were:
1. Chrun Hy, female, 55 years old.
2- Yon Yoon, male, 64 years old.
3- Liu Im, Female, 65 years old,
All three of them live in Samaki Village, Snam Preah Commune, Bakan District, Pursat Province.

The confiscated items include 2 decks of cards and a mat, which were burned on the spot by the police. The three illegal card players were taken to the administrative police station to be educated to stop gambling.

Gambling is a curse on the people especially it seems Asian people who get completely addicted and will gamble their lives away. That being said the authorities here are heavy handed and not neccessarily skillful in their approach though the overall effort is to protect the gambling types.

Police of Sala Krao District Arrest 5 Women for Gambling

Cambodia News, (Pailin Province): At 15:30 on Tuesday, October 25, 2022, Mr. Meak Saran, Police Inspector of Sala Krao District, assigned the Judicial Police Force of Sala Krao District Police Inspectorate to take administrative measures to guide people who gamble (playing cards) into reeducational activities.
In O'Rel Village, Sala Krao District, Pailin Province, five women were arrested, named, shamed, and educated on the evils of gambling after they were caught playing cards.
1. Name: Sam Kolap, female, 33 years old, living in O'Rel Village, Stung Karch Commune, Sala Krao District, Pailin Province.

2-Name is Thai Savuth, female, 37 years old, living in O'Rel Village, Stung Karch Commune, Sala Krao District, Pailin Province.

3-Name is Phivath Kunthea, female, 34 years old, living in O'Rel Village, Stung Karch Commune, Sala Krao District, Pailin Province.

4-Name is Khoeun Khan, female, 33 years old, living in O'Rel Village, Stung Karch Commune, Sala Krao District, Pailin Province.

5-Name is Rath Saruon, female, 57 years old, living in O'Rel Village, Stung Karch Commune, Sala Krao District, Pailin Province.

After the arrest, the police posted the women's mugshots and confiscated the following evidence: 1 pack of cards, 1 towel and 1 mat.

Eight Women and a Pack of Cards Seized in Police Raid

Cambodia News, Kampong Cham: On 18 November, 2022, eight Cambodian women villagers between the ages of 32 and 60, were arrested by Major General Em Kosal, Provincial Police Commissioner of Kampong Cham Province, with the specialized forces of the Criminal Police in cooperation with the specialized force of the Inspectorate of Chamkar Leu District Police and the local authorities, in the crackdown operation supervised under the direct coordination of Mr. Sothea Piseth, Deputy Prosecutor of the Prosecutor's Office Kampong Cham Provincial Court, on illegal gambling that was taking place at Bang 1 Village, Commune Bos Khnor, Chamkar Leu District, Kampong Cham Province.

Currently, the eight women "gamblers" and the confiscated exhibits, ( a set of 52 playing cards and a rug), have been sent to Kampong Cham Provincial Police headquarters, where a complaint has been filed by Mr. Sothea Piseth, Deputy Prosecutor of the Kampong Cham Provincial Court.