There is an appealing history to the Cambodia gambling halls that lie just across the dividing line from neighboring Thailand, in which gambling den gaming is prohibited. Eight gambling halls are situated in a relatively small area in the municipality of Poipet in Cambodia. This collection of Cambodia casinos is in a prime area, a three to four hour trip from Bangkok and Macao, the 2 biggest gambling locations in Asia. Cambodia casinos do a thriving business with Thai laborers and guests from Malaysia, Japan, South Korea, and Singapore, with only very couple of Westerners. The amazing income accrued from the casinos ranges from 7.5 million dollars to more than twelve and a half million dollars, and there are a couple of limitations requirements for gambling den ownership. Ownership is assumed 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 even though visas are for all intents and purposes required to pass, there are means around this, as is correct of most borders.
The original Cambodia casinos opened in Phnom Penh in 1994, but were required to close in 1998, leaving only a single casino in the capital, the Naga Resort. The Naga, an anchored bateau casino, features 150 one armed bandits and 60 gaming tables. The Naga casino never closes with 42 tables of mini-baccarat banque, 4 tables of twenty-one, ten of roulette, two of Caribbean Stud Poker, and 1 each of Pai-Gow and Tai-Sai.
The original casino in Poipet, the Holiday Palace, premiered in 1999 and the Golden Crown soon followed. There are 150 slot machine games and five table games at the Golden Crown and one hundred and four slot machines and 68 table games at the Holiday Palace. The newer Holiday Palace Casino and Resort features 300 slot machine games and 70 table games and the Princess Hotel and Casino, also in Poipet, has 166 one armed bandits and 96 table games, including 87 baccarat (the most dominant game), Fan Tan, and Pai Gow. In addition, there is the Casino Tropicana, with 135 slots and sixty six of the familiar gaming tables, as well as a single table of Casino Stud Poker. Another one of the eight gambling dens in Poipet, also in a motel, is the Princess Casino with 166 slot machine games and 97 table games. The Star Vegas Casino is part of a comprehensive vacation and hotel compound that highlights a number of comforts accompanying the gambling hall, which provides ten thousand sq.ft. of 130 slot machines and 88 tables.
