Cambodia Gambling Dens


[ English ]

There is an interesting background to the Cambodia casinos that reside just across the border from neighboring Thailand, where casino gambling is not permitted. Eight gambling halls are based in a relatively tiny area in the metropolis of Poipet in Cambodia. This conclave of Cambodia gambling halls is in an excellent location, a 3 to 4 hour travel from Bangkok and Macao, the 2 largest wagering centers in Asia. Cambodia casinos do a thriving business with Thai blue-collar workers and guests from Malaysia, Japan, South Korea, and Singapore, with just a few Westerners. The astonishing income acquired from the gambling dens ranges from 7.5 million dollars to more than 12.5 million dollars, and there are a couple of restrictions constraints for casino ownership. Ownership is presumed to be mainly Thai; still, financial sources are vague. The borders are officially open from 0900 to 17:00, and even though visas are allegedly needed to cross, there are methods and means around this, as is true of many borders.

The 1st Cambodia casinos opened in Phnom Penh in 1994, but were required to close in the late nineties, leaving only 1 casino in the capital, the Naga Resort. The Naga, a moored barge casino, contains one hundred and fifty slots and sixty tables. The Naga river boat never closes with 42 tables of mini-baccarat, four tables of 21, ten of roulette, 2 of Caribbean Stud Poker, and 1 each of Pai-Gow and Tai-Sai.

The first gambling den in Poipet, the Holiday Palace, opened in 1999 and the Golden Crown soon opened. A total of one hundred and fifty one armed bandits and 5 tables at the Golden Crown and one hundred and four one armed bandits and sixty eight table games at the Holiday Palace. The latest Holiday Palace Casino and Resort contains three hundred slot machines and seventy gaming tables and the Princess Hotel and Casino, also in Poipet, has one hundred and sixty six slot machine games and 96 table games, including 87 punto banco (the most popular game), Fan Tan, and Pai Gow. Also, there is the Casino Tropicana, with one hundred and thirty five slots and sixty six of the familiar gaming tables, as well as a single table of Casino Stud Poker. One more of the 8 gambling halls in Poipet, also a part of a hotel, is the Princess Casino with 166 slot machine games and 97 games. The Star Vegas Casino is part of an all-around resort and hotel building that highlights many comforts accompanying the gambling hall, which provides 10,000 square feet of one hundred and thirty one armed bandits and 88 tables.

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