There is an interesting history to the Cambodia gambling dens that reside just over the dividing line from neighboring Thailand, where gambling hall gambling is banned. Eight casinos are anchored in a relatively tiny area in the municipality of Poipet in Cambodia. This band of Cambodia gambling halls is in a perfect location, a 3 to 4 hour travel from Bangkok and Macao, the 2 largest wagering locations in Asia. Cambodia casinos do a thriving business with Thai laborers and guests from Malaysia, Japan, South Korea, and Singapore, with just a few Westerners. The phenomenal capital gained from the casinos ranges from $7.5 million to more than 12.5 million dollars, and there are a number of limitations constraints for gambling hall ownership. Ownership is presumed to be mainly Thai; although, investment sources are vague. The borders are formally open from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and though visas are supposedly needed to cross, there are methods and means around this, as is real of many border crossings.
The original Cambodia gambling dens premiered in Phnom Penh in 1994, but were required to close in 1998, leaving just one gambling den in the capital, the Naga Resort. The Naga, a moored bateau gambling hall, contains 150 slot machines and sixty tables. The Naga river boat is open 24 hours with forty two tables of mini-baccarat, four tables of 21, ten of roulette, 2 of Caribbean Stud Poker, and one each of Pai-Gow and Tai-Sai.
The 1st casino in Poipet, the Holiday Palace, premiered in 1999 and the Golden Crown soon opened. A total of 150 one armed bandits and 5 table games at the Golden Crown and one hundred and four slots and 68 gaming tables at the Holiday Palace. The newer Holiday Palace Casino and Resort features 300 slot machines and seventy tables and the Princess Hotel and Casino, also in Poipet, has one hundred and sixty six slot machines and 96 gaming tables, including eighty seven baccarat (the most dominant game), Fan Tan, and Pai Gow. Also, there is the Casino Tropicana, with one hundred and thirty five one armed bandits and sixty six of the normal tables, as well as 1 table of Casino Stud Poker. One more of the eight casinos in Poipet, again in a motel, is the Princess Casino with 166 one armed bandits and 97 casino games. The Star Vegas Casino is is located in an all-inclusive vacation and hotel compound that contains many luxuries on top of the casino, which provides ten thousand sq.ft. of one hundred and thirty slot machines and 88 table games.
