There is an appealing story to the Cambodia casinos that sit just over the border from neighboring Thailand, where gambling den gaming is banned. Eight casinos are based in a generally small location in the metropolis of Poipet in Cambodia. This group of Cambodia casinos is in a perfect location, a three to 4 hour travel from Bangkok and Macao, the 2 largest gaming centers in Asia. Cambodia casinos do a thriving business with Thai laborers and visitors from Malaysia, Japan, South Korea, and Singapore, with only very few Westerners. The amazing capital acquired from the casinos ranges from 7.5 million dollars to more than twelve and a half million dollars, and there are a couple of restrictions requirements for gambling hall ownership. Ownership is assumed to be largely Thai; although, financial sources are vague. The borders are formally open from 09:00 to 1700, and though visas are allegedly needed to cross, there are methods and means around this, as is true of most borders.
The 1st Cambodia gambling dens premiered in Phnom Penh in the mid nineties, but were required to close in 1998, leaving only a single gambling den in the capital, the Naga Resort. The Naga, a docked bateau casino, highlights 150 slot machines and sixty tables. The Naga river boat never closes with 42 tables of mini-baccarat chemin de fer, 4 tables of twenty-one, 10 of roulette, 2 of Caribbean Stud Poker, and one each of Pai-Gow and Tai-Sai.
The first gambling hall in Poipet, the Holiday Palace, opened in 1999 and the Golden Crown quickly opened. A total of one hundred and fifty slots and five tables at the Golden Crown and 104 slot machine games and sixty eight table games at the Holiday Palace. The newest Holiday Palace Casino and Resort highlights 300 one armed bandits and 70 tables and the Princess Hotel and Casino, also in Poipet, has 166 slots and ninety six gaming tables, including eighty seven punto banco (the most dominant game), Fan Tan, and Pai Gow. Also, there is the Casino Tropicana, with one hundred and thirty five slot machine games and 66 of the common gaming tables, as well as one table of Casino Stud Poker. Another one of the 8 gambling halls in Poipet, again a part of a motel, is the Princess Casino with 166 slots and ninety seven casino games. The Star Vegas Casino is part of a multinational vacation and hotel compound that highlights numerous amenities on top of the gambling hall, which provides 10,000 sq.ft. of one hundred and thirty slot machines and eighty eight table games.