There is a captivating background to the Cambodia gambling dens that sit just across the dividing line from neighboring Thailand, in which casino gaming is illegal. Eight gambling dens are based in a relatively tiny space in the municipality of Poipet in Cambodia. This conclave of Cambodia casinos is in a perfect destination, a 3 to 4 hour travel from Bangkok and Macao, the two most popular wagering locations in Asia. Cambodia casinos do a thriving business with Thai workers and tourists from Malaysia, Japan, South Korea, and Singapore, with just a couple of Westerners. The amazing income gained from the gambling dens ranges from $7.5 million to more than 12.5 million dollars, and there are a few controls requirements for casino ownership. Ownership is presumed to be mostly Thai; however, investment sources are vague. The borders are ceremoniously open from 0900 to 1700, and although visas are apparently necessary to pass, there are methods and means around this, as is true of most border crossings.
The initial Cambodia casinos opened in Phnom Penh in the mid nineties, but were required to close in 1998, leaving just a single gambling den in the capital, the Naga Resort. The Naga, an anchored boat gambling hall, contains 150 slot machines and 60 tables. The Naga river boat is open all hours with 42 tables of mini-baccarat banque, four tables of chemin de fer, ten of roulette, two of Caribbean Stud Poker, and one each of Pai-Gow and Tai-Sai.
The initial casino in Poipet, the Holiday Palace, premiered in 1999 and the Golden Crown before long followed. There are 150 slot machines and 5 tables at the Golden Crown and one hundred and four slot machines and sixty eight table games at the Holiday Palace. The newer Holiday Palace Casino and Resort features three hundred slots and 70 tables and the Princess Hotel and Casino, also in Poipet, has 166 slots and ninety six gaming tables, including eighty seven 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 machines and 66 of the familiar table games, as well as one table of Casino Stud Poker. An additional of the 8 gambling halls in Poipet, also in a motel, is the Princess Casino with one hundred and sixty six slots and ninety seven casino games. The Star Vegas Casino is part of an all-around vacation and hotel complex that features numerous luxuries on top of the gambling hall, which contains 10,000 sq.ft. of 130 slots and 88 gaming tables.