There is a fascinating history to the Cambodia gambling dens that sit just across the border from next door Thailand, in which gambling hall gaming is not permitted. Eight gambling halls are based in a relatively tiny space in the metropolis of Poipet in Cambodia. This conclave of Cambodia gambling dens is in an excellent location, a three to four hour trip from Bangkok and Macao, the two biggest betting locations in Asia. Cambodia gambling halls do a huge business with Thai workers and visitors from Malaysia, Japan, South Korea, and Singapore, with only very couple of Westerners. The amazing income acquired from the gambling halls ranges from 7.5 million dollars to more than 12.5 million, and there are a few controls constraints for gambling den ownership. Ownership is assumed to be largely Thai; although, financing sources are vague. The borders are formally open from 0900 to 5:00 p.m., and even though visas are supposedly needed to pass, there are ways around this, as is real of most border crossings.
The 1st Cambodia casinos opened in Phnom Penh in the mid nineties, but were required to close in 1998, leaving just 1 casino in the capital, the Naga Resort. The Naga, a moored boat casino, highlights one hundred and fifty slots and 60 table games. The Naga gambling hall never closes with forty two tables of mini-punto banco, four tables of vingt-et-un, ten of roulette, 2 of Caribbean Stud Poker, and 1 each of Pai-Gow and Tai-Sai.
The first gambling hall in Poipet, the Holiday Palace, opened in 1999 and the Golden Crown quickly opened. A total of one hundred and fifty slots and 5 tables at the Golden Crown and 104 slot machines and 68 gaming tables at the Holiday Palace. The latest Holiday Palace Casino and Resort features three hundred slot machines and seventy table games and the Princess Hotel and Casino, also in Poipet, has one hundred and sixty six slot machines and 96 gaming tables, including 87 baccarat chemin de fer (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 common tables, as well as 1 table of Casino Stud Poker. One more of the 8 gambling dens in Poipet, also a part of a hotel, is the Princess Casino with one hundred and sixty six slot machines and ninety seven table games. The Star Vegas Casino is part of a comprehensive resort and hotel building that highlights numerous amenities aside from the gambling hall, which contains 10,000 square feet of 130 slot machine games and 88 table games.