There is an appealing story to the Cambodia casinos that lie just across the border from next door Thailand, in which gambling hall gambling is against the law. Eight gambling halls are established in a relatively small space in the municipality of Poipet in Cambodia. This conclave of Cambodia gambling dens is in a perfect location, a three to 4 hour trip from Bangkok and Macao, the two largest wagering locations in Asia. Cambodia gambling dens do a thriving business with Thai workers and guests from Malaysia, Japan, South Korea, and Singapore, with only very few Westerners. The amazing income acquired from the casinos ranges from $7.5 million to over 12.5 million dollars, and there are a few restrictions requirements for gambling hall ownership. Ownership is required to be mainly Thai; although, funding sources are vague. The borders are officially open from 9:00 a.m. to 17:00, and despite the fact visas are apparently needed to cross, there are methods around this, as is true of most border crossings.
The initial Cambodia gambling dens opened 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 docked boat gambling den, contains one hundred and fifty one armed bandits and 60 table games. The Naga river boat never closes with forty two tables of mini-punto banco, 4 tables of twenty-one, 10 of roulette, two of Caribbean Stud Poker, and 1 each of Pai-Gow and Tai-Sai.
The first casino in Poipet, the Holiday Palace, premiered in 1999 and the Golden Crown before long followed. A total of 150 slot machines and five table games at the Golden Crown and one hundred and four slot machines and sixty eight table games at the Holiday Palace. The newer Holiday Palace Casino and Resort highlights 300 slot machine games and seventy 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 87 baccarat (the most beloved game), Fan Tan, and Pai Gow. Also, there is the Casino Tropicana, with one hundred and thirty five slots and 66 of the common gaming tables, as well as 1 table of Casino Stud Poker. An additional of the eight casinos in Poipet, also in a hotel, is the Princess Casino with one hundred and sixty six slots and 97 table games. The Star Vegas Casino is is located in an all-around resort and hotel building that contains many conveniences aside from the gambling hall, which contains ten thousand square feet of one hundred and thirty one armed bandits and eighty eight tables.