There is a fascinating background to the Cambodia casinos that lie just over the dividing line from neighboring Thailand, where gambling hall wagering is not allowed. Eight gambling dens are situated in a relatively tiny space in the city of Poipet in Cambodia. This conclave of Cambodia gambling halls is in a prime location, a three to four hour travel from Bangkok and Macao, the 2 biggest betting locations in Asia. Cambodia gambling dens do a huge business with Thai blue-collar workers and travelers from Malaysia, Japan, South Korea, and Singapore, with just a couple of Westerners. The phenomenal income gained from the gambling dens ranges from 7.5 million dollars to over 12.5 million, and there are a number of limitations requirements for gambling hall ownership. Ownership is required to be mostly Thai; however, financing sources are vague. The borders are formally open from 0900 to 17:00, and despite the fact visas are allegedly needed to cross, there are ways around this, as is true of most border crossings.
The initial Cambodia casinos opened in Phnom Penh in 1994, but were forced to close in 1998, leaving just 1 gambling den in the capital, the Naga Resort. The Naga, a docked boat casino, highlights one hundred and fifty slot machines and sixty table games. The Naga gambling den is open all hours with forty two tables of mini-baccarat banque, four tables of 21, 10 of roulette, 2 of Caribbean Stud Poker, and 1 each of Pai-Gow and Tai-Sai.
The original casino in Poipet, the Holiday Palace, premiered in the late nineties and the Golden Crown quickly opened. There are 150 one armed bandits and 5 tables at the Golden Crown and 104 slots and sixty eight gaming tables at the Holiday Palace. The newer Holiday Palace Casino and Resort features 300 slots and 70 table games and the Princess Hotel and Casino, also in Poipet, has 166 slot machine games and ninety six gaming tables, including eighty seven baccarat (the most beloved game), Fan Tan, and Pai Gow. In addition, there is the Casino Tropicana, with 135 slot machine games and 66 of the common gaming tables, 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 166 one armed bandits and 97 casino games. The Star Vegas Casino is part of a multinational resort and hotel compound that contains many luxuries aside from the gambling den, which provides ten thousand sq.ft. of 130 slot machines and 88 gaming tables.