khmer sources

Every evening at dusk, thousands of Khmer farmers, laborers and vendors return home from Thailand through Poipet’s international check point. Thai gamblers cross the border behind them, passing beneath an illuminated model of Angkor Wat which sits atop a huge gateway. In Cambodia, they will spin roulette wheels, roll die and smoke cigarettes until the sun comes up—garish neon from the casinos entices them across the frontier.

Poipet isn’t Las Vegas by any means, however more casinos are built here every year, catering for both those seeking fun and those feeding addiction.

Marketing Director of Holiday Palace Casino & Resort Mr. Thomas Teh says his casino was established in 1999. "Back then, this was the only casino in Poipet," Mr. Thomas says. "Now, this town has nine. In terms of service and standards, this casino is definitely comparable to any other international venue."
The Holiday Palace Casino & Resort is the first casino you will come to through the border. You can’t miss the sign; "Holiday Palace" is bigger and in more gold than even the welcome sign to the Kingdom of Cambodia.

Mr. Thomas says Thai are the most prolific gamblers. Cambodians are not permitted this "hobby" but he says they can work or stay the night in the Holiday Palace hotel. His staff is 70 percent Cambodian.

"The Holiday Palace Casino is not just a casino. This is a hotel too. There is also a
duty free shop, restaurant, café, night club and travel agent."

Cambodian casinos skirt the periphery of the country, as the law stipulates that gambling dens and casinos operating within the Kingdom, must do so only if they are 200km out of Phnom Penh. A total of 20 casinos are permitted to legally operate in Cambodia and all of them are located at the border. Half of these casinos are in Poipet.

The casinos here have clipped, green lawns and pretty fountains reflected in plenty of glass. They are of an international standard—walk down the winding staircases and sit at a machine, and you could be in Hong Kong or Macau.

Further down the 1km strip of casinos, is the O’Smach Casino. Croupier Miss Meng Mouy says her job is simple and fun. "I have worked here for three years now and I earn $200 a month. I am happy here, but I do miss my home and family in Stueng Hav district, down in Sihanoukville province," Miss Mouy says.

There are more than 5,000 people employed by casinos in Poipet and like Miss Mouy, most travel a long distance to find work here.
Deputy Governor of O’Chreov district in Banteay Meanchey province Mr. Kann Svang says Miss Mouy is representative of most working in the casinos. "Those who work at the tables, or as food and beverage staff and so on, are young and they can earn more money in these jobs than in others. Generally, they earn anything from $50 to $200 a month, excluding meals," Mr. Kann says. He agrees with the Cambodian government’s policy of not permitting nationals to gamble. "I’m happy about allowing Cambodians to work in the casinos, but not to play. It’s a good policy."
Further south in Sihanoukville, Marketing Manager of Holiday Palace & Resort Mr. Ariffin Hartono says a lot of Malaysians and Koreans frequent the tables and machines. "But it is difficult to estimate a daily number of customers. We do not have many regulars though. And, during the weekends and public holidays, we are very busy," Mr. Ariffin says.

So what of the future for Cambodian casinos? Will the tumbleweeds spin between empty card tables and down quiet staircases one day soon. Or will the signs just get bigger and neon brighter? Mr. Ariffin says it it "too difficult to predict". Spin the wheel and roll a dice.