There is a fascinating story to the Cambodia gambling halls that lie just over the border from nearby Thailand, in which casino wagering is not allowed. Eight gambling dens are situated in a generally tiny location in the metropolis of Poipet in Cambodia. This conclave of Cambodia casinos is in an excellent location, a 3 to 4 hour trip from Bangkok and Macao, the 2 biggest gambling centers in Asia. Cambodia casinos do a huge business with Thai workers and travelers from Malaysia, Japan, South Korea, and Singapore, with just a few Westerners. The amazing capital acquired from the casinos ranges from $7.5 million to over 12.5 million, and there are a few limitations requirements for casino ownership. Ownership is presumed to be mainly Thai; although, financial sources are cryptic. The borders are formally open from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and though visas are allegedly needed to pass, there are methods and means around this, as is accurate of most border crossings.
The initial Cambodia gambling halls premiered in Phnom Penh in the mid nineties, but were required to close in 1998, leaving only one gambling den in the capital, the Naga Resort. The Naga, an anchored boat gambling den, highlights one hundred and fifty one armed bandits and sixty tables. The Naga gambling hall is open all day and night with forty two tables of mini-punto banco, 4 tables of blackjack, 10 of roulette, two of Caribbean Stud Poker, and a single table each of Pai-Gow and Tai-Sai.
The first casino in Poipet, the Holiday Palace, premiered in the late nineties and the Golden Crown quickly followed. There are 150 one armed bandits and five table games at the Golden Crown and one hundred and four one armed bandits and sixty eight tables at the Holiday Palace. The latest Holiday Palace Casino and Resort contains 300 one armed bandits and seventy gaming tables and the Princess Hotel and Casino, also in Poipet, has one hundred and sixty six slot machines and ninety six table games, including 87 baccarat (the most beloved game), Fan Tan, and Pai Gow. Additionally, there is the Casino Tropicana, with one hundred and thirty five slots and 66 of the familiar table games, as well as 1 table of Casino Stud Poker. Another one of the eight gambling dens in Poipet, also a part of a motel, is the Princess Casino with one hundred and sixty six one armed bandits and 97 casino games. The Star Vegas Casino is part of an all-around vacation and hotel compound that contains numerous amenities on top of the casino, which has 10,000 sq.ft. of 130 slot machine games and eighty eight table games.