Twenty-two children under the age of 15 were briefly detained by police for skipping school to gamble on electronic arcade games after a raid on multiple gaming parlours around Banteay Meanchey province’s Poipet town yesterday, police said.

Poipet police chief Om Sophal said that authorities seized two electronic fishing games and three other arcade-style games, and arrested one person for allegedly managing a gambling establishment.

“This fishing game is a form of gambling, which not only leads to social insecurity, but also becomes an obsession for the youths and children,” Sophal said.

“As a result, they forget their studies and dare to do bad things – stealing their parents’ money and thieving.”

Sophal said the 22 children were sent home after being warned of the dangers of gambling, and after their parents gave assurances that their children would behave from now on.

The arrested manager, Un Chantha, 23, reportedly told police she had only been working in the arcade for two days, but was sent to the Banteay Meanchey provincial police station for processing.