There is an appealing background to the Cambodia gambling halls that sit just across the dividing line from next door Thailand, where casino gambling is not legal. Eight gambling halls are based in a generally tiny space in the municipality of Poipet in Cambodia. This collection of Cambodia casinos is in a prime spot, a three to four hour trip from Bangkok and Macao, the two most popular gaming locations in Asia. Cambodia casinos do a huge business with Thai laborers and guests from Malaysia, Japan, South Korea, and Singapore, with just a couple of Westerners. The astonishing income accrued from the gambling halls ranges from 7.5 million dollars to more than twelve and a half million dollars, and there are a number of restrictions constraints for gambling den ownership. Ownership is required to be largely Thai; still, investment sources are vague. The borders are ceremoniously open from 09:00 to 17:00, and although visas are allegedly required to pass, there are methods and means around this, as is true of many border crossings.
The first Cambodia gambling halls opened in Phnom Penh in the mid nineties, but were forced to close in 1998, leaving just 1 gambling hall in the capital, the Naga Resort. The Naga, an anchored ship casino, contains one hundred and fifty one armed bandits and 60 tables. The Naga river boat is open 24 hours with 42 tables of mini-baccarat banque, four tables of 21, 10 of roulette, two of Caribbean Stud Poker, and a single table each of Pai-Gow and Tai-Sai.
The first gambling den in Poipet, the Holiday Palace, opened in 1999 and the Golden Crown quickly opened. A total of one hundred and fifty one armed bandits and five tables at the Golden Crown and 104 slots and 68 gaming tables at the Holiday Palace. The latest Holiday Palace Casino and Resort features three hundred slot machines and 70 tables and the Princess Hotel and Casino, also in Poipet, has one hundred and sixty six one armed bandits and ninety six table games, including eighty seven baccarat (the most dominant game), Fan Tan, and Pai Gow. In addition, there is the Casino Tropicana, with 135 one armed bandits and sixty six of the normal table games, as well as one table of Casino Stud Poker. An additional of the eight casinos in Poipet, again a part of a hotel, is the Princess Casino with one hundred and sixty six slot machines and 97 table games. The Star Vegas Casino is is located in an all-around resort and hotel compound that contains numerous amenities aside from the casino, which has 10,000 square feet of one hundred and thirty slots and 88 gaming tables.
