Cambodia Gambling Halls
There is a fascinating history to the Cambodia casinos that sit just over the dividing line from nearby Thailand, where gambling hall betting is against the law. Eight gambling dens are situated in a generally tiny area in the city of Poipet in Cambodia. This group of Cambodia gambling halls is in a perfect spot, a 3 to 4 hour drive from Bangkok and Macao, the two largest gaming locations in Asia. Cambodia gambling halls do a huge business with Thai blue-collar workers and guests from Malaysia, Japan, South Korea, and Singapore, with only very few Westerners. The amazing income acquired from the gambling dens ranges from $7.5 million to more than twelve and a half million dollars, and there are a few restrictions constraints for casino ownership. Ownership is presumed to be mostly Thai; although, financing sources are vague. The borders are formally open from 0900 to 5:00 p.m., and though visas are allegedly necessary to pass, there are ways around this, as is true of many borders.
The original Cambodia gambling dens opened in Phnom Penh in 1994, but were forced to close in the late nineties, leaving just 1 gambling den in the capital, the Naga Resort. The Naga, a stationary boat casino, contains 150 one armed bandits and 60 gaming tables. The Naga gambling hall never closes with 42 tables of mini-punto banco, four tables of twenty-one, 10 of roulette, two of Caribbean Stud Poker, and one each of Pai-Gow and Tai-Sai.
The original gambling den in Poipet, the Holiday Palace, premiered in 1999 and the Golden Crown quickly followed. There are 150 slot machines and 5 tables at the Golden Crown and 104 slot machines and 68 tables at the Holiday Palace. The latest Holiday Palace Casino and Resort highlights 300 slot machine games and 70 tables and the Princess Hotel and Casino, also in Poipet, has one hundred and sixty six slot machines and 96 gaming tables, including 87 baccarat banque (the most beloved game), Fan Tan, and Pai Gow. Also, there is the Casino Tropicana, with one hundred and thirty five one armed bandits and 66 of the common gaming tables, as well as a single table of Casino Stud Poker. Another one of the eight gambling dens in Poipet, again a part of a hotel, is the Princess Casino with 166 one armed bandits and ninety seven table games. The Star Vegas Casino is is located in a comprehensive resort and hotel compound that features many conveniences aside from the gambling hall, which offers ten thousand sq.ft. of one hundred and thirty slots and 88 gaming tables.