There is a fascinating story to the Cambodia casinos that reside just across the border from next door Thailand, in which gambling den wagering is banned. Eight casinos are anchored in a relatively small location in the metropolis of Poipet in Cambodia. This conclave of Cambodia casinos is in an excellent area, a 3 to four hour trip from Bangkok and Macao, the two biggest wagering centers in Asia. Cambodia gambling halls do a huge business with Thai blue-collar workers and guests from Malaysia, Japan, South Korea, and Singapore, with just a few Westerners. The astonishing capital gained from the casinos ranges from $7.5 million to over 12.5 million dollars, and there are a couple of restrictions constraints for casino ownership. Ownership is presumed to be largely Thai; although, investment sources are cryptic. The borders are officially open from 0900 to 5:00 p.m., and although visas are supposedly needed to pass, there are methods and means around this, as is real of many border crossings.
The 1st Cambodia casinos premiered in Phnom Penh in 1994, but were forced to close in 1998, leaving only 1 casino in the capital, the Naga Resort. The Naga, an anchored barge gambling hall, contains one hundred and fifty one armed bandits and sixty tables. The Naga casino never closes with 42 tables of mini-baccarat banque, four tables of 21, 10 of roulette, 2 of Caribbean Stud Poker, and one each of Pai-Gow and Tai-Sai.
The first casino in Poipet, the Holiday Palace, premiered in the late nineties and the Golden Crown soon opened. A total of one hundred and fifty slots and 5 tables at the Golden Crown and one hundred and four slot machine games and sixty eight table games at the Holiday Palace. The newest Holiday Palace Casino and Resort contains 300 one armed bandits and 70 table games and the Princess Hotel and Casino, also in Poipet, has one hundred and sixty six one armed bandits and 96 table games, including eighty seven punto banco (the most beloved game), Fan Tan, and Pai Gow. Additionally, there is the Casino Tropicana, with one hundred and thirty five slot machine games and sixty six of the normal gaming tables, as well as one table of Casino Stud Poker. Another one of the eight gambling halls in Poipet, also a part of a hotel, is the Princess Casino with 166 slot machines and 97 casino games. The Star Vegas Casino is is located in a comprehensive resort and hotel complex that highlights many comforts accompanying the gambling hall, which contains ten thousand sq.ft. of 130 slot machines and 88 gaming tables.