There is an appealing history to the Cambodia gambling dens that lie just across the dividing line from nearby Thailand, where gambling hall gaming is prohibited. Eight gambling halls are based in a relatively small space in the municipality of Poipet in Cambodia. This collection of Cambodia casinos is in a perfect spot, a three to four hour drive from Bangkok and Macao, the 2 most popular gaming locations in Asia. Cambodia gambling halls do a thriving business with Thai laborers and visitors from Malaysia, Japan, South Korea, and Singapore, with just a couple of Westerners. The amazing income accrued from the gambling halls ranges from 7.5 million dollars to more than 12.5 million, and there are a few restrictions constraints for gambling den ownership. Ownership is presumed to be mostly Thai; although, financial sources are cryptic. The borders are formally open from 9:00 a.m. to 17:00, and though visas are apparently required to cross, there are methods and means around this, as is correct of most border crossings.
The original Cambodia gambling halls opened in Phnom Penh in 1994, but were forced to close in the late nineties, leaving only 1 casino in the capital, the Naga Resort. The Naga, an anchored barge gambling hall, features one hundred and fifty one armed bandits and sixty table games. The Naga river boat never closes with 42 tables of mini-baccarat chemin de fer, 4 tables of vingt-et-un, ten of roulette, 2 of Caribbean Stud Poker, and one each of Pai-Gow and Tai-Sai.
The original gambling hall in Poipet, the Holiday Palace, opened in the late nineties and the Golden Crown soon opened. There are one hundred and fifty one armed bandits and five table games at the Golden Crown and 104 slots and 68 tables at the Holiday Palace. The newest Holiday Palace Casino and Resort features 300 slot machines and 70 tables and the Princess Hotel and Casino, also in Poipet, has one hundred and sixty six slot machines and 96 gaming tables, including eighty seven baccarat banque (the most popular game), Fan Tan, and Pai Gow. Additionally, there is the Casino Tropicana, with one hundred and thirty five slots and 66 of the familiar gaming tables, as well as a single table of Casino Stud Poker. An additional of the eight gambling halls in Poipet, also in a motel, is the Princess Casino with one hundred and sixty six slot machine games and 97 games. The Star Vegas Casino is part of an all-around vacation and hotel complex that highlights numerous luxuries on top of the gambling den, which has 10,000 square feet of 130 slot machines and eighty eight gaming tables.