There is a captivating story to the Cambodia gambling halls that lie just across the dividing line from neighboring Thailand, in which gambling den gaming is illegal. Eight casinos are situated in a relatively small location in the municipality of Poipet in Cambodia. This conclave of Cambodia casinos is in a perfect location, a three to four hour trip from Bangkok and Macao, the two most popular betting locations in Asia. Cambodia casinos do a thriving business with Thai laborers and guests from Malaysia, Japan, South Korea, and Singapore, with just a couple of Westerners. The amazing income gained from the gambling dens ranges from 7.5 million dollars to over twelve and a half million dollars, and there are a couple of limitations requirements for gambling den ownership. Ownership is assumed to be largely Thai; although, financial sources are vague. The borders are officially open from 09:00 to 1700, and although visas are for all intents and purposes necessary to cross, there are methods around this, as is correct of most border crossings.
The 1st Cambodia gambling dens premiered in Phnom Penh in 1994, but were forced to close in 1998, leaving only a single casino in the capital, the Naga Resort. The Naga, a docked bateau gambling hall, contains one hundred and fifty slot machine games and sixty gaming tables. The Naga river boat never closes with forty two tables of mini-baccarat chemin de fer, 4 tables of 21, 10 of roulette, two of Caribbean Stud Poker, and one each of Pai-Gow and Tai-Sai.
The 1st casino in Poipet, the Holiday Palace, premiered in the late nineties and the Golden Crown soon followed. A total of one hundred and fifty slot machines and 5 tables at the Golden Crown and one hundred and four one armed bandits and 68 tables at the Holiday Palace. The newest Holiday Palace Casino and Resort highlights 300 slot machine games and 70 table games and the Princess Hotel and Casino, also in Poipet, has 166 slots and 96 gaming tables, including 87 punto banco (the most popular game), Fan Tan, and Pai Gow. In addition, there is the Casino Tropicana, with one hundred and thirty five slot machine games and sixty six of the normal table games, as well as 1 table of Casino Stud Poker. One more of the eight gambling halls in Poipet, also a part of a motel, is the Princess Casino with one hundred and sixty six slots and 97 games. The Star Vegas Casino is part of a comprehensive vacation and hotel building that highlights many conveniences in addition to the gambling den, which contains 10,000 sq.ft. of one hundred and thirty slot machine games and eighty eight gaming tables.