Cambodia Gambling Halls
There is a fascinating story to the Cambodia gambling halls that sit just across the dividing line from next door Thailand, where casino gaming is not permitted. Eight gambling dens are established in a generally small area in the municipality of Poipet in Cambodia. This group of Cambodia casinos is in a perfect area, a three to 4 hour trip from Bangkok and Macao, the 2 most popular betting centers in Asia. Cambodia gambling halls do a huge business with Thai laborers and travelers from Malaysia, Japan, South Korea, and Singapore, with just a few Westerners. The phenomenal capital accrued from the gambling dens ranges from $7.5 million to more than 12.5 million dollars, and there are a number of limitations requirements for gambling den ownership. Ownership is required to be mainly Thai; however, financial sources are vague. The borders are ceremoniously open from 0900 to 5:00 p.m., and even though visas are for all intents and purposes necessary to pass, there are methods and means around this, as is true of most border crossings.
The first Cambodia gambling dens premiered in Phnom Penh in 1994, but were forced to close in 1998, leaving only 1 gambling hall in the capital, the Naga Resort. The Naga, a stationary boat casino, highlights one hundred and fifty slot machine games and sixty table games. The Naga gambling den is open 24 hours with forty two tables of mini-punto banco, 4 tables of twenty-one, 10 of roulette, two of Caribbean Stud Poker, and 1 each of Pai-Gow and Tai-Sai.
The original gambling hall 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 one armed bandits and sixty eight tables at the Holiday Palace. The newer Holiday Palace Casino and Resort highlights 300 slot machine games and 70 tables and the Princess Hotel and Casino, also in Poipet, has 166 slot machines and 96 table games, including 87 baccarat (the most dominant game), Fan Tan, and Pai Gow. Additionally, there is the Casino Tropicana, with 135 slots and 66 of the common gaming tables, as well as one table of Casino Stud Poker. Another one of the eight gambling dens in Poipet, again a part of a motel, is the Princess Casino with one hundred and sixty six slot machines and 97 casino games. The Star Vegas Casino is part of an all-inclusive resort and hotel complex that features a number of comforts aside from the gambling hall, which offers ten thousand sq.ft. of 130 slots and 88 tables.