There is an interesting story to the Cambodia gambling dens that sit just over the border from neighboring Thailand, in which gambling hall gaming is not permitted. Eight gambling halls are established in a generally tiny location in the metropolis of Poipet in Cambodia. This band of Cambodia gambling halls is in a prime destination, a three to four hour travel from Bangkok and Macao, the 2 largest betting centers in Asia. Cambodia casinos do a huge business with Thai blue-collar workers and guests from Malaysia, Japan, South Korea, and Singapore, with just a couple of Westerners. The astonishing capital accrued from the casinos ranges from 7.5 million dollars to more than 12.5 million, and there are a few limitations requirements for casino ownership. Ownership is required to be largely Thai; however, financial sources are cryptic. The borders are officially open from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and although visas are allegedly necessary to pass, there are methods around this, as is true of most borders.
The first Cambodia casinos opened in Phnom Penh in 1994, but were forced to close in the late nineties, leaving only a single casino in the capital, the Naga Resort. The Naga, a stationary barge gambling den, features one hundred and fifty slot machine games and 60 tables. The Naga river boat is open all hours with 42 tables of mini-baccarat banque, 4 tables of blackjack, ten of roulette, 2 of Caribbean Stud Poker, and one each of Pai-Gow and Tai-Sai.
The initial gambling den in Poipet, the Holiday Palace, premiered in 1999 and the Golden Crown before long followed. There are 150 one armed bandits and five tables at the Golden Crown and one hundred and four slot machine games and 68 table games at the Holiday Palace. The newest Holiday Palace Casino and Resort features 300 slots and seventy table games and the Princess Hotel and Casino, also in Poipet, has 166 slot machines and ninety six gaming tables, including 87 baccarat chemin de fer (the most dominant game), Fan Tan, and Pai Gow. Also, there is the Casino Tropicana, with one hundred and thirty five slots and sixty six of the normal gaming tables, as well as one table of Casino Stud Poker. Another one of the 8 gambling dens in Poipet, also a part of a hotel, is the Princess Casino with one hundred and sixty six one armed bandits and ninety seven casino games. The Star Vegas Casino is is located in an all-around vacation and hotel complex that features many amenities on top of the gambling hall, which provides 10,000 sq.ft. of 130 slot machine games and eighty eight table games.