[ English ]

There is a captivating background to the Cambodia gambling halls that reside just across the dividing line from nearby Thailand, in which casino gambling is banned. Eight gambling halls are situated in a relatively tiny location in the municipality of Poipet in Cambodia. This conclave of Cambodia gambling halls is in a perfect spot, a three to four hour trip from Bangkok and Macao, the two most popular gambling locations in Asia. Cambodia gambling dens do a thriving business with Thai workers and travelers from Malaysia, Japan, South Korea, and Singapore, with just a couple of Westerners. The amazing income gained from the casinos ranges from $7.5 million to more than 12.5 million, and there are a few restrictions requirements for gambling den ownership. Ownership is required to be mainly Thai; still, funding sources are ambiguous. The borders are officially open from 09:00 to 1700, and even though visas are allegedly required to pass, there are methods around this, as is accurate of many borders.

The initial Cambodia gambling dens premiered in Phnom Penh in the mid nineties, but were forced to close in 1998, leaving just a single casino in the capital, the Naga Resort. The Naga, a stationary ship gambling hall, contains one hundred and fifty slots and sixty tables. The Naga gambling den is open all day and night with forty two tables of mini-baccarat banque, four tables of blackjack, ten of roulette, 2 of Caribbean Stud Poker, and a single table each of Pai-Gow and Tai-Sai.

The first casino in Poipet, the Holiday Palace, opened in 1999 and the Golden Crown soon opened. There are 150 slot machines and 5 table games at the Golden Crown and one hundred and four one armed bandits and 68 tables at the Holiday Palace. The latest Holiday Palace Casino and Resort highlights 300 one armed bandits and 70 tables 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 chemin de fer (the most beloved game), Fan Tan, and Pai Gow. In addition, there is the Casino Tropicana, with one hundred and thirty five slots and sixty six of the normal table games, as well as a single table of Casino Stud Poker. One more of the 8 gambling dens in Poipet, again a part of a hotel, is the Princess Casino with one hundred and sixty six slots and ninety seven table games. The Star Vegas Casino is is located in a comprehensive resort and hotel compound that features numerous luxuries in addition to the gambling den, which contains ten thousand sq.ft. of 130 one armed bandits and eighty eight table games.