Cambodia Casinos
There is an appealing story to the Cambodia gambling dens that sit just over the dividing line from next door Thailand, where casino gaming is not allowed. Eight gambling dens are based in a relatively tiny space in the municipality of Poipet in Cambodia. This collection of Cambodia casinos is in a prime area, a three to four hour trip from Bangkok and Macao, the two largest gambling locations in Asia. Cambodia casinos do a huge business with Thai workers and travelers from Malaysia, Japan, South Korea, and Singapore, with just a few Westerners. The phenomenal capital accrued from the gambling halls ranges from seven and a half million dollars to more than twelve and a half million dollars, and there are a few restrictions constraints for gambling hall ownership. Ownership is presumed to be mostly Thai; although, funding sources are vague. The borders are formally open from 9:00 a.m. to 17:00, and even though visas are apparently needed to cross, there are methods around this, as is real of most border crossings.
The 1st Cambodia gambling dens opened in Phnom Penh in 1994, but were forced to close in the late nineties, leaving only a single casino in the capital, the Naga Resort. The Naga, a stationary ship gambling hall, features 150 one armed bandits and sixty tables. The Naga river boat never closes with 42 tables of mini-baccarat banque, 4 tables of twenty-one, ten of roulette, two of Caribbean Stud Poker, and a single table each of Pai-Gow and Tai-Sai.
The 1st casino in Poipet, the Holiday Palace, opened in the late nineties and the Golden Crown soon opened. There are one hundred and fifty one armed bandits and five table games at the Golden Crown and 104 slots and 68 tables at the Holiday Palace. The newest Holiday Palace Casino and Resort contains 300 slot machines and 70 gaming tables and the Princess Hotel and Casino, also in Poipet, has one hundred and sixty six slot machines and 96 gaming tables, including eighty seven punto banco (the most popular game), Fan Tan, and Pai Gow. Additionally, there is the Casino Tropicana, with 135 slot machines and sixty six of the familiar gaming tables, as well as a single 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 machines and 97 games. The Star Vegas Casino is is located in an all-around vacation and hotel complex that features a number of luxuries aside from the casino, which offers 10,000 sq.ft. of 130 slots and 88 table games.