There is an interesting background to the Cambodia gambling halls that lie just over the dividing line from nearby Thailand, in which casino betting is not allowed. Eight casinos are situated in a generally small area in the metropolis of Poipet in Cambodia. This group of Cambodia casinos is in an excellent spot, a 3 to four hour drive from Bangkok and Macao, the 2 most popular gambling locations in Asia. Cambodia casinos do a huge business with Thai laborers and travelers from Malaysia, Japan, South Korea, and Singapore, with only very few Westerners. The amazing income gained from the casinos ranges from 7.5 million dollars to more than 12.5 million, and there are a number of restrictions constraints for gambling hall ownership. Ownership is presumed to be mainly Thai; although, financing sources are vague. The borders are officially open from 0900 to 5:00 p.m., and despite the fact visas are allegedly needed to cross, there are ways around this, as is correct of many borders.
The 1st Cambodia gambling dens opened in Phnom Penh in 1994, but were forced to close in the late nineties, leaving only one gambling hall in the capital, the Naga Resort. The Naga, a stationary boat gambling den, features one hundred and fifty slot machines and 60 gaming tables. The Naga gambling den is open all day and night with 42 tables of mini-baccarat banque, 4 tables of 21, 10 of roulette, two of Caribbean Stud Poker, and one each of Pai-Gow and Tai-Sai.
The original gambling den in Poipet, the Holiday Palace, opened in 1999 and the Golden Crown before long opened. A total of 150 slots and 5 table games at the Golden Crown and one hundred and four slot machines and 68 tables at the Holiday Palace. The newer Holiday Palace Casino and Resort highlights 300 one armed bandits and seventy gaming tables and the Princess Hotel and Casino, also in Poipet, has 166 slot machines and 96 table games, including 87 baccarat (the most popular game), Fan Tan, and Pai Gow. Also, there is the Casino Tropicana, with one hundred and thirty five slot machine games and sixty six of the familiar gaming tables, as well as a single table of Casino Stud Poker. One more of the eight gambling dens in Poipet, also in a motel, is the Princess Casino with 166 one armed bandits and 97 games. The Star Vegas Casino is is located in an all-around resort and hotel complex that features a number of comforts on top of the gambling den, which provides ten thousand sq.ft. of one hundred and thirty slots and eighty eight table games.