There is a captivating history to the Cambodia casinos that lie just over the dividing line from neighboring Thailand, where gambling den gaming is prohibited. Eight gambling halls are situated in a generally tiny space in the city of Poipet in Cambodia. This conclave of Cambodia gambling halls is in an excellent location, a 3 to 4 hour trip from Bangkok and Macao, the 2 most popular betting locations in Asia. Cambodia gambling dens do a thriving business with Thai laborers and guests from Malaysia, Japan, South Korea, and Singapore, with just a couple of Westerners. The phenomenal capital gained from the gambling halls ranges from seven and a half million dollars to more than twelve and a half million dollars, and there are a couple of restrictions requirements for casino ownership. Ownership is required to be largely Thai; although, financial sources are ambiguous. The borders are officially open from 09:00 to 17:00, and despite the fact visas are for all intents and purposes required to cross, there are methods around this, as is true of many border crossings.
The initial Cambodia gambling halls opened in Phnom Penh in the mid nineties, but were forced to close in 1998, leaving just 1 casino in the capital, the Naga Resort. The Naga, a stationary ship gambling hall, contains 150 slot machines and sixty gaming tables. The Naga gambling hall never closes with 42 tables of mini-punto banco, four tables of vingt-et-un, 10 of roulette, two of Caribbean Stud Poker, and one each of Pai-Gow and Tai-Sai.
The first gambling den in Poipet, the Holiday Palace, premiered in 1999 and the Golden Crown quickly opened. There are one hundred and fifty slot machines and five tables at the Golden Crown and 104 slot machines and sixty eight table games at the Holiday Palace. The newer Holiday Palace Casino and Resort contains 300 slots and seventy tables and the Princess Hotel and Casino, also in Poipet, has one hundred and sixty six one armed bandits and 96 table games, including eighty seven baccarat (the most beloved game), Fan Tan, and Pai Gow. Additionally, there is the Casino Tropicana, with one hundred and thirty five slot machines and 66 of the normal table games, as well as 1 table of Casino Stud Poker. One more of the 8 casinos in Poipet, again in a motel, is the Princess Casino with 166 slot machine games and 97 table games. The Star Vegas Casino is is located in an all-inclusive vacation and hotel compound that contains many conveniences aside from the gambling hall, which houses 10,000 sq.ft. of 130 slot machines and 88 tables.