There is an interesting history to the Cambodia gambling dens that reside just across the border from nearby Thailand, where gambling den gambling is against the law. Eight casinos are based in a relatively small area in the city of Poipet in Cambodia. This band of Cambodia casinos is in a perfect spot, a three to four hour drive from Bangkok and Macao, the 2 biggest wagering centers in Asia. Cambodia casinos do a huge business with Thai workers and tourists from Malaysia, Japan, South Korea, and Singapore, with only very few Westerners. The astonishing capital gained from the gambling dens ranges from seven and a half million dollars to over 12.5 million dollars, and there are a number of controls requirements for casino ownership. Ownership is presumed to be mostly Thai; although, financing sources are vague. The borders are ceremoniously open from 09:00 to 5:00 p.m., and though visas are allegedly necessary to pass, there are methods and means around this, as is accurate of most border crossings.
The original Cambodia gambling dens premiered in Phnom Penh in 1994, but were forced to close in the late nineties, leaving only 1 casino in the capital, the Naga Resort. The Naga, a docked bateau casino, highlights one hundred and fifty one armed bandits and 60 gaming tables. The Naga casino never closes with 42 tables of mini-baccarat chemin de fer, 4 tables of twenty-one, ten of roulette, 2 of Caribbean Stud Poker, and 1 each of Pai-Gow and Tai-Sai.
The first casino in Poipet, the Holiday Palace, opened in 1999 and the Golden Crown soon opened. A total of one hundred and fifty slots and five tables at the Golden Crown and 104 slot machines and sixty eight gaming tables at the Holiday Palace. The latest Holiday Palace Casino and Resort contains 300 slot machines and seventy table games and the Princess Hotel and Casino, also in Poipet, has one hundred and sixty six slot machines and ninety six gaming tables, including 87 baccarat (the most beloved game), Fan Tan, and Pai Gow. Additionally, there is the Casino Tropicana, with 135 slot machine games and 66 of the common tables, as well as 1 table of Casino Stud Poker. Another one of the 8 gambling dens in Poipet, again a part of a hotel, is the Princess Casino with one hundred and sixty six one armed bandits and ninety seven table games. The Star Vegas Casino is part of an international vacation and hotel compound that features many conveniences aside from the casino, which houses ten thousand square feet of one hundred and thirty slots and 88 table games.