Cambodia Gambling Halls
There is a fascinating history to the Cambodia casinos that reside just over the border from neighboring Thailand, in which casino wagering is not allowed. Eight gambling halls are situated in a relatively small location in the municipality of Poipet in Cambodia. This group of Cambodia gambling halls is in an excellent area, a three to four hour drive from Bangkok and Macao, the 2 largest betting locations in Asia. Cambodia casinos do a huge business with Thai laborers and travelers from Malaysia, Japan, South Korea, and Singapore, with just a few Westerners. The phenomenal income accrued from the gambling halls ranges from seven and a half million dollars to more than 12.5 million dollars, and there are a number of limitations constraints for gambling den ownership. Ownership is assumed to be mainly Thai; although, financing sources are vague. The borders are officially open from 9:00 a.m. to 1700, and although visas are supposedly necessary to pass, there are means around this, as is true of most border crossings.
The initial Cambodia gambling dens premiered in Phnom Penh in the mid nineties, but were required to close in the late nineties, leaving just one gambling hall in the capital, the Naga Resort. The Naga, an anchored ship casino, contains one hundred and fifty slots and sixty table games. The Naga river boat never closes with 42 tables of mini-punto banco, four tables of twenty-one, ten of roulette, 2 of Caribbean Stud Poker, and a single table each of Pai-Gow and Tai-Sai.
The initial casino in Poipet, the Holiday Palace, premiered in the late nineties and the Golden Crown soon opened. There are one hundred and fifty slots and five table games at the Golden Crown and one hundred and four slot machines and 68 table games at the Holiday Palace. The latest Holiday Palace Casino and Resort contains three hundred one armed bandits and 70 gaming tables and the Princess Hotel and Casino, also in Poipet, has 166 slots and 96 table games, including eighty seven baccarat chemin de fer (the most popular game), Fan Tan, and Pai Gow. In addition, there is the Casino Tropicana, with one hundred and thirty five slots and sixty six of the familiar tables, as well as 1 table of Casino Stud Poker. Another one of the 8 gambling dens in Poipet, also a part of a motel, is the Princess Casino with 166 slot machines and ninety seven games. The Star Vegas Casino is is located in a multinational vacation and hotel building that contains a number of amenities accompanying the casino, which contains ten thousand sq.ft. of one hundred and thirty slots and eighty eight gaming tables.