There is an interesting history to the Cambodia casinos that reside just across the border from next door Thailand, in which gambling hall betting is against the law. Eight casinos are based in a relatively small space in the metropolis of Poipet in Cambodia. This collection of Cambodia gambling dens is in a perfect area, a three to four hour trip from Bangkok and Macao, the 2 biggest wagering centers in Asia. Cambodia gambling halls do a huge business with Thai laborers and tourists from Malaysia, Japan, South Korea, and Singapore, with only very couple of Westerners. The amazing income accrued from the gambling dens ranges from seven and a half million dollars to over 12.5 million, and there are a few controls requirements for gambling den ownership. Ownership is assumed to be mostly Thai; although, financing sources are vague. The borders are officially open from 0900 to 5:00 p.m., and despite the fact visas are supposedly needed to cross, there are methods and means around this, as is true of many borders.
The initial Cambodia casinos premiered in Phnom Penh in the mid nineties, but were forced to close in 1998, leaving just one gambling den in the capital, the Naga Resort. The Naga, a docked barge gambling hall, contains one hundred and fifty slots and 60 table games. The Naga gambling hall never closes with forty two tables of mini-punto banco, four tables of twenty-one, 10 of roulette, two of Caribbean Stud Poker, and one each of Pai-Gow and Tai-Sai.
The initial casino in Poipet, the Holiday Palace, opened in 1999 and the Golden Crown before long followed. A total of 150 one armed bandits and 5 tables at the Golden Crown and one hundred and four slot machines and 68 table games at the Holiday Palace. The newest Holiday Palace Casino and Resort contains three hundred slot machines and seventy table games and the Princess Hotel and Casino, also in Poipet, has one hundred and sixty six slot machine games and 96 table games, including 87 baccarat banque (the most beloved game), Fan Tan, and Pai Gow. Also, there is the Casino Tropicana, with 135 slot machine games and 66 of the normal gaming tables, as well as 1 table of Casino Stud Poker. Another one of the 8 gambling dens in Poipet, again in a hotel, is the Princess Casino with 166 slot machine games and ninety seven casino games. The Star Vegas Casino is is located in a comprehensive vacation and hotel complex that contains many comforts aside from the casino, which has 10,000 square feet of one hundred and thirty slot machine games and eighty eight table games.