05.26
Cambodia Gambling Dens
There is an interesting story to the Cambodia gambling dens that sit just over the border from nearby Thailand, in which casino betting is not permitted. Eight gambling dens are established in a relatively tiny space in the city of Poipet in Cambodia. This group of Cambodia gambling halls is in a prime spot, a 3 to 4 hour trip from Bangkok and Macao, the two most popular betting centers in Asia. Cambodia casinos do a thriving business with Thai blue-collar workers and tourists from Malaysia, Japan, South Korea, and Singapore, with only very couple of Westerners. The astonishing income accrued from the gambling halls ranges from $7.5 million to over twelve and a half million dollars, and there are a number of restrictions requirements for casino ownership. Ownership is presumed to be mostly Thai; although, investment sources are ambiguous. The borders are ceremoniously open from 9:00 a.m. to 1700, and though visas are for all intents and purposes necessary to pass, there are methods and means around this, as is true of many borders.
The initial Cambodia gambling dens premiered in Phnom Penh in 1994, but were forced to close in 1998, leaving just a single gambling hall in the capital, the Naga Resort. The Naga, a moored ship casino, highlights one hundred and fifty one armed bandits and 60 tables. The Naga casino never closes with 42 tables of mini-baccarat banque, four tables of 21, 10 of roulette, two of Caribbean Stud Poker, and one each of Pai-Gow and Tai-Sai.
The first gambling hall in Poipet, the Holiday Palace, premiered in 1999 and the Golden Crown quickly opened. There are 150 slot machine games and 5 table games at the Golden Crown and one hundred and four slots and 68 gaming tables at the Holiday Palace. The latest Holiday Palace Casino and Resort contains 300 slot machines and 70 table games and the Princess Hotel and Casino, also in Poipet, has one hundred and sixty six one armed bandits and 96 gaming tables, including 87 punto banco (the most dominant game), Fan Tan, and Pai Gow. Additionally, there is the Casino Tropicana, with one hundred and thirty five slot machines and sixty six of the normal gaming tables, as well as a single table of Casino Stud Poker. One more of the eight casinos in Poipet, also in a motel, is the Princess Casino with 166 slots and 97 casino games. The Star Vegas Casino is part of an all-around vacation and hotel building that contains many luxuries accompanying the casino, which contains ten thousand sq.ft. of one hundred and thirty slot machine games and eighty eight table games.