There is a captivating background to the Cambodia casinos that lie just across the border from neighboring Thailand, where gambling hall wagering is illegal. Eight gambling halls are established in a generally tiny space in the city of Poipet in Cambodia. This group of Cambodia casinos is in a prime destination, a 3 to 4 hour drive from Bangkok and Macao, the two most popular gambling centers in Asia. Cambodia gambling halls do a huge business with Thai blue-collar workers and visitors from Malaysia, Japan, South Korea, and Singapore, with just a couple of Westerners. The phenomenal capital acquired from the gambling dens ranges from $7.5 million to over twelve and a half million dollars, and there are a few limitations requirements for casino ownership. Ownership is required to be mainly Thai; however, financing sources are cryptic. The borders are formally open from 9:00 a.m. to 1700, and although visas are supposedly required to pass, there are means around this, as is accurate of many borders.
The original Cambodia gambling dens premiered in Phnom Penh in 1994, but were required to close in the late nineties, leaving just one casino in the capital, the Naga Resort. The Naga, a moored bateau gambling hall, highlights one hundred and fifty slots and sixty table games. The Naga river boat never closes with forty two tables of mini-baccarat banque, 4 tables of 21, 10 of roulette, two of Caribbean Stud Poker, and 1 each of Pai-Gow and Tai-Sai.
The 1st gambling hall in Poipet, the Holiday Palace, premiered in the late nineties and the Golden Crown soon opened. There are one hundred and fifty one armed bandits and 5 table games at the Golden Crown and 104 slots and 68 tables at the Holiday Palace. The newer Holiday Palace Casino and Resort contains 300 slots and 70 table games and the Princess Hotel and Casino, also in Poipet, has 166 one armed bandits and 96 table games, including eighty seven punto banco (the most beloved game), Fan Tan, and Pai Gow. In addition, there is the Casino Tropicana, with 135 slots and sixty six of the common table games, as well as 1 table of Casino Stud Poker. One more of the eight gambling halls in Poipet, also in a hotel, is the Princess Casino with one hundred and sixty six slot machine games and ninety seven games. The Star Vegas Casino is part of an all-around vacation and hotel building that features numerous comforts in addition to the casino, which provides 10,000 sq.ft. of 130 slot machines and 88 table games.