There is a fascinating story to the Cambodia gambling dens that lie just over the border from neighboring Thailand, in which gambling den gaming is prohibited. Eight casinos are situated in a generally small area in the city of Poipet in Cambodia. This band of Cambodia gambling halls is in an excellent area, a 3 to four hour travel from Bangkok and Macao, the two most popular wagering centers in Asia. Cambodia gambling halls do a huge business with Thai workers and visitors from Malaysia, Japan, South Korea, and Singapore, with just a couple of Westerners. The amazing income acquired from the gambling halls ranges from $7.5 million to over 12.5 million, and there are a couple of limitations requirements for gambling hall ownership. Ownership is assumed to be mainly Thai; still, financial sources are cryptic. The borders are officially open from 0900 to 1700, and despite the fact visas are apparently required to cross, there are methods around this, as is real of most border crossings.
The first Cambodia gambling dens premiered in Phnom Penh in 1994, but were required to close in 1998, leaving only 1 gambling hall in the capital, the Naga Resort. The Naga, a stationary bateau gambling hall, highlights one hundred and fifty slots and 60 table games. The Naga river boat never closes with 42 tables of mini-baccarat banque, 4 tables of chemin de fer, 10 of roulette, two of Caribbean Stud Poker, and one each of Pai-Gow and Tai-Sai.
The first casino in Poipet, the Holiday Palace, opened in the late nineties and the Golden Crown quickly followed. A total of 150 slots and five tables at the Golden Crown and 104 one armed bandits and 68 gaming tables at the Holiday Palace. The newer Holiday Palace Casino and Resort contains 300 one armed bandits and 70 tables and the Princess Hotel and Casino, also in Poipet, has 166 slot machine games and 96 table games, including 87 punto banco (the most beloved game), Fan Tan, and Pai Gow. Also, there is the Casino Tropicana, with 135 slot machines and 66 of the common gaming tables, as well as one table of Casino Stud Poker. One more of the eight gambling dens in Poipet, also in a hotel, is the Princess Casino with one hundred and sixty six slot machines and ninety seven table games. The Star Vegas Casino is part of a comprehensive vacation and hotel building that features numerous amenities accompanying the casino, which houses 10,000 sq.ft. of 130 slot machines and 88 tables.