There is a fascinating background to the Cambodia gambling halls that reside just over the border from next door Thailand, in which casino gambling is not permitted. Eight gambling halls are based in a generally small space in the municipality of Poipet in Cambodia. This collection of Cambodia gambling halls is in a prime location, a 3 to 4 hour travel from Bangkok and Macao, the two biggest gambling locations in Asia. Cambodia gambling dens do a thriving business with Thai blue-collar workers and visitors from Malaysia, Japan, South Korea, and Singapore, with just a few Westerners. The phenomenal capital accrued from the gambling halls ranges from $7.5 million to over twelve and a half million dollars, and there are a number of limitations requirements for gambling hall ownership. Ownership is assumed to be largely Thai; although, investment sources are vague. The borders are formally open from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and although visas are for all intents and purposes needed to cross, there are means around this, as is true of most borders.

The original Cambodia gambling halls premiered in Phnom Penh in 1994, but were forced to close in the late nineties, leaving just a single gambling den in the capital, the Naga Resort. The Naga, a stationary ship gambling hall, features one hundred and fifty slots and 60 tables. The Naga river boat is open all hours with forty two tables of mini-punto banco, 4 tables of vingt-et-un, ten of roulette, 2 of Caribbean Stud Poker, and a single table each of Pai-Gow and Tai-Sai.

The 1st gambling hall in Poipet, the Holiday Palace, premiered in 1999 and the Golden Crown before long opened. There are one hundred and fifty one armed bandits and 5 tables at the Golden Crown and 104 slot machine games and 68 table games at the Holiday Palace. The newest Holiday Palace Casino and Resort highlights three hundred slot machine games and 70 table games and the Princess Hotel and Casino, also in Poipet, has 166 one armed bandits and ninety six gaming tables, including 87 baccarat (the most dominant game), Fan Tan, and Pai Gow. Additionally, there is the Casino Tropicana, with 135 slots and sixty six of the familiar gaming tables, as well as one table of Casino Stud Poker. One more of the eight casinos in Poipet, also in a hotel, is the Princess Casino with one hundred and sixty six one armed bandits and 97 table games. The Star Vegas Casino is part of an all-around resort and hotel compound that highlights many comforts accompanying the gambling den, which offers 10,000 square feet of one hundred and thirty slot machine games and 88 tables.