Cambodia Gambling Halls
There is an interesting story to the Cambodia gambling dens that reside just across the border from nearby Thailand, in which gambling hall betting is prohibited. Eight casinos are based in a generally tiny space in the municipality of Poipet in Cambodia. This conclave of Cambodia gambling dens is in an excellent spot, a three to 4 hour trip from Bangkok and Macao, the two largest gambling centers in Asia. Cambodia casinos do a thriving business with Thai workers and guests from Malaysia, Japan, South Korea, and Singapore, with only very couple of Westerners. The astonishing income acquired from the casinos ranges from $7.5 million to over 12.5 million dollars, and there are a few restrictions requirements for gambling den ownership. Ownership is presumed to be largely Thai; still, funding sources are cryptic. The borders are officially open from 09:00 to 5:00 p.m., and even though visas are apparently necessary to cross, there are methods and means around this, as is real of most borders.
The first Cambodia casinos opened in Phnom Penh in the mid nineties, but were required to close in the late nineties, leaving only one gambling hall in the capital, the Naga Resort. The Naga, a stationary bateau gambling den, features one hundred and fifty slots and sixty table games. The Naga river boat is open all day and night with 42 tables of mini-punto banco, four tables of blackjack, 10 of roulette, 2 of Caribbean Stud Poker, and a single table each of Pai-Gow and Tai-Sai.
The 1st gambling hall in Poipet, the Holiday Palace, opened in the late nineties and the Golden Crown soon followed. There are one hundred and fifty slots and 5 table games at the Golden Crown and one hundred and four slot machines and 68 gaming tables at the Holiday Palace. The latest Holiday Palace Casino and Resort contains three hundred slot machine games and 70 table games and the Princess Hotel and Casino, also in Poipet, has one hundred and sixty six one armed bandits and ninety six gaming tables, including 87 punto banco (the most dominant game), Fan Tan, and Pai Gow. In addition, there is the Casino Tropicana, with one hundred and thirty five slot machine games and 66 of the familiar gaming tables, as well as 1 table of Casino Stud Poker. Another one of the 8 casinos in Poipet, again in a motel, is the Princess Casino with one hundred and sixty six slots and 97 casino games. The Star Vegas Casino is is located in an international resort and hotel compound that features many luxuries in addition to the gambling den, which contains 10,000 sq.ft. of one hundred and thirty one armed bandits and 88 tables.