There is a fascinating background to the Cambodia casinos that reside just across the dividing line from next door Thailand, where gambling hall gaming is against the law. Eight casinos are anchored in a generally small area in the city 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 largest gambling locations in Asia. Cambodia gambling dens do a thriving business with Thai workers and travelers from Malaysia, Japan, South Korea, and Singapore, with just a few Westerners. The astonishing income acquired from the gambling dens ranges from 7.5 million dollars to over twelve and a half million dollars, and there are a couple of restrictions requirements for gambling den ownership. Ownership is required to be largely Thai; although, financing sources are ambiguous. The borders are ceremoniously open from 9:00 a.m. to 1700, and although visas are supposedly needed to pass, there are ways around this, as is accurate of many border crossings.
The first Cambodia gambling dens premiered in Phnom Penh in the mid nineties, but were required to close in the late nineties, leaving only 1 gambling den in the capital, the Naga Resort. The Naga, an anchored ship casino, highlights 150 one armed bandits and 60 table games. The Naga casino never closes with forty two tables of mini-punto banco, 4 tables of twenty-one, 10 of roulette, two of Caribbean Stud Poker, and a single table each of Pai-Gow and Tai-Sai.
The initial gambling den in Poipet, the Holiday Palace, premiered in the late nineties and the Golden Crown quickly opened. A total of one hundred and fifty one armed bandits and five table games at the Golden Crown and one hundred and four slot machine games and sixty eight table games at the Holiday Palace. The newer Holiday Palace Casino and Resort contains 300 one armed bandits and seventy 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 87 punto banco (the most beloved game), Fan Tan, and Pai Gow. Also, there is the Casino Tropicana, with one hundred and thirty five slots and sixty six of the common tables, as well as a single table of Casino Stud Poker. An additional of the eight casinos in Poipet, also in a hotel, is the Princess Casino with one hundred and sixty six one armed bandits and 97 games. The Star Vegas Casino is is located in a comprehensive vacation and hotel building that features numerous comforts accompanying the gambling hall, which provides 10,000 sq.ft. of 130 one armed bandits and 88 table games.