[ English ]

There is a fascinating story to the Cambodia casinos that sit just across the border from neighboring Thailand, where gambling den gambling is illegal. Eight gambling halls are situated in a relatively small area in the municipality of Poipet in Cambodia. This group of Cambodia gambling halls is in a prime area, a three to 4 hour drive from Bangkok and Macao, the two most popular wagering locations in Asia. Cambodia gambling halls do a huge business with Thai laborers and guests from Malaysia, Japan, South Korea, and Singapore, with only very couple of Westerners. The astonishing income gained from the gambling halls ranges from 7.5 million dollars to more than 12.5 million dollars, and there are a few restrictions requirements for gambling hall ownership. Ownership is presumed to be largely Thai; although, investment sources are ambiguous. The borders are ceremoniously open from 9:00 a.m. to 1700, and though visas are allegedly necessary to pass, there are methods around this, as is accurate of most border crossings.

The 1st Cambodia casinos premiered in Phnom Penh in 1994, but were forced to close in the late nineties, leaving only a single casino in the capital, the Naga Resort. The Naga, a docked boat gambling hall, highlights 150 slots and 60 table games. The Naga river boat never closes with 42 tables of mini-baccarat, four tables of twenty-one, 10 of roulette, 2 of Caribbean Stud Poker, and a single table each of Pai-Gow and Tai-Sai.

The 1st casino in Poipet, the Holiday Palace, premiered in 1999 and the Golden Crown quickly opened. There are 150 slot machines and 5 table games at the Golden Crown and one hundred and four slots and 68 tables at the Holiday Palace. The newer Holiday Palace Casino and Resort highlights three hundred slot machines and 70 tables and the Princess Hotel and Casino, also in Poipet, has 166 slot machines and ninety six table games, including eighty seven punto banco (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 sixty six of the common gaming tables, as well as 1 table of Casino Stud Poker. One more of the 8 gambling halls in Poipet, also a part of a motel, is the Princess Casino with one hundred and sixty six slots and ninety seven games. The Star Vegas Casino is part of an international vacation and hotel complex that features many conveniences aside from the gambling den, which contains ten thousand sq.ft. of 130 slots and 88 tables.