There is a captivating background to the Cambodia casinos that lie just over the border from neighboring Thailand, in which gambling hall gaming is prohibited. Eight casinos are based in a relatively tiny space in the metropolis of Poipet in Cambodia. This conclave of Cambodia casinos is in an excellent location, a three to four hour travel from Bangkok and Macao, the 2 biggest gaming centers in Asia. Cambodia casinos do a thriving business with Thai workers and visitors from Malaysia, Japan, South Korea, and Singapore, with only very few Westerners. The amazing income accrued from the gambling dens ranges from $7.5 million to more than 12.5 million, and there are a number of restrictions constraints for casino ownership. Ownership is presumed to be largely Thai; although, financial sources are cryptic. The borders are formally open from 0900 to 17:00, and although visas are supposedly needed to pass, there are ways around this, as is true of many borders.

The first Cambodia casinos premiered in Phnom Penh in the mid nineties, but were forced to close in 1998, leaving just 1 casino in the capital, the Naga Resort. The Naga, a stationary boat casino, features 150 slot machines and sixty table games. The Naga gambling den is open 24 hours with 42 tables of mini-punto banco, 4 tables of chemin de fer, 10 of roulette, 2 of Caribbean Stud Poker, and a single table each of Pai-Gow and Tai-Sai.

The 1st casino in Poipet, the Holiday Palace, premiered in 1999 and the Golden Crown quickly opened. There are one hundred and fifty slot machine games and 5 tables at the Golden Crown and one hundred and four slots and 68 tables at the Holiday Palace. The newest Holiday Palace Casino and Resort highlights 300 one armed bandits and 70 table games and the Princess Hotel and Casino, also in Poipet, has 166 slot machines and ninety six gaming tables, including eighty seven baccarat chemin de fer (the most popular game), Fan Tan, and Pai Gow. In addition, there is the Casino Tropicana, with one hundred and thirty five slot machine games and sixty six of the familiar table games, as well as 1 table of Casino Stud Poker. Another one of the eight gambling dens in Poipet, also in a hotel, is the Princess Casino with one hundred and sixty six slot machine games and ninety seven casino games. The Star Vegas Casino is is located in an all-inclusive vacation and hotel compound that contains a number of comforts on top of the gambling den, which houses 10,000 sq.ft. of 130 slots and eighty eight gaming tables.