There is a fascinating story to the Cambodia gambling halls that lie just over the border from nearby Thailand, in which gambling hall gambling is not allowed. Eight casinos are situated in a generally tiny space in the city of Poipet in Cambodia. This band of Cambodia casinos is in a prime area, a three to four hour trip from Bangkok and Macao, the two largest wagering centers in Asia. Cambodia gambling halls do a huge business with Thai workers and tourists from Malaysia, Japan, South Korea, and Singapore, with just a couple of Westerners. The astonishing capital accrued from the gambling halls ranges from 7.5 million dollars to more than twelve and a half million dollars, and there are a couple of restrictions requirements for gambling hall ownership. Ownership is assumed to be largely Thai; although, financial sources are vague. The borders are officially open from 0900 to 17:00, and even though visas are apparently necessary to cross, there are means around this, as is real of most borders.
The 1st Cambodia gambling dens opened in Phnom Penh in 1994, but were forced to close in 1998, leaving only 1 casino in the capital, the Naga Resort. The Naga, a stationary ship casino, contains 150 slots and sixty table games. The Naga gambling hall never closes with 42 tables of mini-punto banco, 4 tables of twenty-one, 10 of roulette, two of Caribbean Stud Poker, and one each of Pai-Gow and Tai-Sai.
The first casino in Poipet, the Holiday Palace, opened in the late nineties and the Golden Crown quickly opened. A total of one hundred and fifty slot machine games and 5 table games at the Golden Crown and 104 one armed bandits and 68 gaming tables at the Holiday Palace. The newest Holiday Palace Casino and Resort highlights 300 one armed bandits and 70 gaming tables and the Princess Hotel and Casino, also in Poipet, has 166 one armed bandits and 96 table games, including 87 baccarat chemin de fer (the most dominant game), Fan Tan, and Pai Gow. In addition, there is the Casino Tropicana, with one hundred and thirty five slot machines and sixty six of the common tables, as well as 1 table of Casino Stud Poker. One more of the eight casinos in Poipet, again a part of a hotel, is the Princess Casino with one hundred and sixty six slots and ninety seven table games. The Star Vegas Casino is part of a comprehensive vacation and hotel compound that contains numerous amenities aside from the gambling den, which offers 10,000 sq.ft. of one hundred and thirty slots and 88 tables.