Cambodia Gambling Halls
There is an appealing history to the Cambodia gambling halls that lie just over the border from next door Thailand, where gambling hall betting is prohibited. Eight casinos are situated in a relatively small space in the municipality of Poipet in Cambodia. This collection of Cambodia gambling halls is in a perfect location, a three to 4 hour drive from Bangkok and Macao, the two biggest wagering locations in Asia. Cambodia casinos do a thriving business with Thai workers and visitors from Malaysia, Japan, South Korea, and Singapore, with only very few Westerners. The phenomenal income gained from the gambling dens ranges from $7.5 million to over 12.5 million dollars, and there are a number of restrictions requirements for casino ownership. Ownership is presumed to be largely Thai; although, financing sources are vague. The borders are ceremoniously open from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and though visas are allegedly required to pass, there are ways around this, as is correct of many border crossings.
The 1st Cambodia gambling halls premiered in Phnom Penh in the mid nineties, but were required to close in 1998, leaving just 1 gambling hall in the capital, the Naga Resort. The Naga, a moored boat gambling hall, features 150 one armed bandits and sixty tables. The Naga river boat is open all day and night with 42 tables of mini-punto banco, 4 tables of 21, 10 of roulette, 2 of Caribbean Stud Poker, and one each of Pai-Gow and Tai-Sai.
The initial gambling hall in Poipet, the Holiday Palace, opened in 1999 and the Golden Crown quickly followed. There are one hundred and fifty one armed bandits and 5 table games at the Golden Crown and 104 slot machine games and sixty eight gaming tables at the Holiday Palace. The newest Holiday Palace Casino and Resort features 300 slots and 70 gaming tables and the Princess Hotel and Casino, also in Poipet, has 166 slot machines and 96 gaming tables, including eighty seven baccarat (the most popular game), Fan Tan, and Pai Gow. In addition, there is the Casino Tropicana, with one hundred and thirty five slot machines and 66 of the familiar table games, as well as a single table of Casino Stud Poker. Another one of the 8 gambling dens in Poipet, also in a hotel, is the Princess Casino with 166 slot machine games and ninety seven table games. The Star Vegas Casino is is located in a multinational resort and hotel compound that contains numerous luxuries accompanying the gambling den, which contains ten thousand sq.ft. of one hundred and thirty slot machines and eighty eight tables.