There is an interesting history to the Cambodia gambling halls that lie just over the border from next door Thailand, where gambling hall betting is illegal. Eight casinos are situated in a relatively tiny space in the municipality of Poipet in Cambodia. This group of Cambodia casinos is in an excellent area, a three to four hour travel from Bangkok and Macao, the 2 biggest gaming locations in Asia. Cambodia gambling dens do a thriving business with Thai laborers and visitors from Malaysia, Japan, South Korea, and Singapore, with only very couple of Westerners. The amazing income acquired from the gambling dens ranges from $7.5 million to over 12.5 million, and there are a few restrictions constraints for gambling den ownership. Ownership is presumed to be largely Thai; however, funding sources are vague. The borders are officially open from 09:00 to 1700, and although visas are apparently needed to cross, there are means around this, as is true of many borders.

The first Cambodia casinos premiered in Phnom Penh in 1994, but were required to close in the late nineties, leaving just 1 gambling hall in the capital, the Naga Resort. The Naga, a docked bateau casino, highlights one hundred and fifty slot machines and sixty table games. The Naga river boat never closes with 42 tables of mini-baccarat banque, 4 tables of twenty-one, ten of roulette, 2 of Caribbean Stud Poker, and 1 each of Pai-Gow and Tai-Sai.

The first gambling hall in Poipet, the Holiday Palace, opened in 1999 and the Golden Crown soon opened. A total of 150 slot machines and 5 tables at the Golden Crown and one hundred and four slot machine games and sixty eight gaming tables at the Holiday Palace. The newer Holiday Palace Casino and Resort highlights three hundred slot machines and seventy table games and the Princess Hotel and Casino, also in Poipet, has one hundred and sixty six slot machine games and 96 gaming tables, including eighty seven baccarat (the most popular game), Fan Tan, and Pai Gow. In addition, there is the Casino Tropicana, with 135 slots and 66 of the common table games, as well as 1 table of Casino Stud Poker. An additional of the 8 gambling halls in Poipet, again a part of a hotel, is the Princess Casino with 166 slot machines and 97 casino games. The Star Vegas Casino is part of a multinational vacation and hotel compound that features a number of luxuries on top of the gambling hall, which has ten thousand sq.ft. of one hundred and thirty one armed bandits and 88 table games.