CHEA Peng Chheang, a secretary of state at the Ministry of Economy, said Thursday that government revenues from the gaming sector topped US$20 million in 2008, a 20 percent spike from the previous year. He added that the government aims to increase gambling revenues this year by a further 12.5 percent by improving revenue collection, though he did not provide details. Cambodia has about 30 casinos - employing more than 15,000 people - mostly along Cambodia's borders with Thailand and Vietnam. Chea Peng Chheang added that the global financial crisis poses a challenge to increasing revenues due to its effect on the tourism sector.