There is an interesting story to the Cambodia casinos that sit just across the border from next door Thailand, where gambling hall gaming is illegal. Eight gambling dens are situated in a relatively tiny area in the city of Poipet in Cambodia. This conclave of Cambodia casinos is in an excellent spot, a three to 4 hour travel from Bangkok and Macao, the two most popular wagering locations in Asia. Cambodia casinos do a thriving business with Thai workers and tourists from Malaysia, Japan, South Korea, and Singapore, with only very few Westerners. The amazing capital acquired from the gambling dens ranges from seven and a half million dollars to over twelve and a half million dollars, and there are a number of limitations constraints for casino ownership. Ownership is assumed to be mostly Thai; although, financing sources are vague. The borders are officially open from 0900 to 5:00 p.m., and though visas are apparently needed to pass, there are methods around this, as is correct of many border crossings.
The initial Cambodia gambling dens premiered in Phnom Penh in the mid nineties, but were forced to close in the late nineties, leaving only 1 gambling hall in the capital, the Naga Resort. The Naga, an anchored bateau gambling hall, contains one hundred and fifty slots and sixty tables. The Naga gambling den never closes with 42 tables of mini-baccarat, four tables of twenty-one, ten of roulette, 2 of Caribbean Stud Poker, and 1 each of Pai-Gow and Tai-Sai.
The first casino in Poipet, the Holiday Palace, premiered in the late nineties and the Golden Crown quickly followed. A total of 150 slot machine games and five tables at the Golden Crown and 104 one armed bandits and 68 table games at the Holiday Palace. The newer Holiday Palace Casino and Resort highlights 300 slot machine games and 70 table games and the Princess Hotel and Casino, also in Poipet, has one hundred and sixty six one armed bandits and ninety six table games, including 87 baccarat chemin de fer (the most dominant game), Fan Tan, and Pai Gow. Also, there is the Casino Tropicana, with one hundred and thirty five slot machine games and 66 of the normal gaming tables, as well as one table of Casino Stud Poker. One more of the eight casinos in Poipet, also in a hotel, is the Princess Casino with one hundred and sixty six slot machine games and 97 casino games. The Star Vegas Casino is is located in an international resort and hotel building that contains numerous conveniences on top of the gambling den, which has 10,000 square feet of 130 slot machine games and 88 gaming tables.