SV International obtains approval to operate casinos in Sihanoukville

Sunday 27th of March 2016

A Malaysian company has reportedly obtained approval from Cambodia’s Council of Ministers to develop hotels and casinos in Sihanoukville, local media reports.

Salient Ventures, a locally registered subsidiary of SV International, announced in a promotional video that it would transform the coastal city into the “Macau of Southeast Asia”, and that it was buying up “every potential development lot” in Sihanoukville’s port area as well as “purchasing existing hotels for renovation and equipping them with gaming licences”.

As well as running casinos, the approval also allows the firm to operate online gaming, nightclubs, karaoke bars, massage parlors as well as dog racing.

According to Ros Phirun, a spokesman for the Ministry of Economics and Finance, the casino has been granted approval to operate casinos in the coastal city, but has not yet submitted a license application to run casinos there.

“All the relevant documents have not been submitted to the ministry, so I do not have details of their plans or investments,” he said, as quoted by the Phnom Post.

SV could not be reached for comment, however, Ly Koung, owner of the Majestic Hotel on Victory Hill in Sihanoukville confirmed the firm planned to invest in the coastal city.

“Based on their plans, they want to make Sihanoukville into another Macau,” he said, adding his hotel has struck a partnership deal with the SV to bring in tourists from surrounding countries to their casino.

Bricks & Mortar License Approval Development Sihanoukville