There is an interesting background to the Cambodia gambling halls that reside just over the border from next door Thailand, where gambling hall betting is not permitted. Eight gambling halls are anchored in a relatively small location in the metropolis of Poipet in Cambodia. This group of Cambodia casinos is in a perfect destination, a three to four hour travel from Bangkok and Macao, the 2 most popular wagering centers in Asia. Cambodia casinos do a thriving business with Thai blue-collar workers and visitors from Malaysia, Japan, South Korea, and Singapore, with only very few Westerners. The astonishing income acquired from the gambling dens ranges from seven and a half million dollars to over 12.5 million, and there are a couple of limitations constraints for casino ownership. Ownership is assumed to be largely Thai; although, investment sources are ambiguous. The borders are officially open from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and despite the fact visas are apparently required to cross, there are ways around this, as is real of many borders.
The initial Cambodia casinos opened in Phnom Penh in the mid nineties, but were required to close in the late nineties, leaving just one gambling den in the capital, the Naga Resort. The Naga, a stationary bateau gambling den, highlights one hundred and fifty slots and sixty tables. The Naga river boat never closes with 42 tables of mini-baccarat, four tables of 21, 10 of roulette, two of Caribbean Stud Poker, and a single table each of Pai-Gow and Tai-Sai.
The initial gambling hall in Poipet, the Holiday Palace, premiered in 1999 and the Golden Crown soon followed. A total of one hundred and fifty slot machines and five tables at the Golden Crown and one hundred and four slots and sixty eight gaming tables at the Holiday Palace. The newer Holiday Palace Casino and Resort features three hundred slot machines and 70 tables and the Princess Hotel and Casino, also in Poipet, has one hundred and sixty six slots and ninety six table games, including eighty seven baccarat (the most beloved game), Fan Tan, and Pai Gow. In addition, there is the Casino Tropicana, with 135 slots and sixty six of the familiar table games, as well as a single table of Casino Stud Poker. Another one of the eight casinos in Poipet, also in a motel, is the Princess Casino with 166 slots and ninety seven casino games. The Star Vegas Casino is is located in an international vacation and hotel complex that contains a number of amenities accompanying the gambling den, which provides 10,000 sq.ft. of 130 one armed bandits and eighty eight table games.