When people think of gambling destinations, often places such as Macau, Las Vegas and Atlantic City come to mind. Possibly the last place you would think of is a small town in Cambodia.
However, it is time to think again, for there is one town in Cambodia which is quickly becoming synonymous with gambling, and to date some 30 plus casino have opened up there, with another 70 currently being built.
It is with the aid of finance from investors based in China that the casinos in Sihanoukville are being built, and it would appear that there is certainly money to be made there or they wouldn’t be backing those properties, some of which are simply enormous.
The decision to turn the town into a gambling destination is proving to be a good one, for visitor numbers are going through the roof, and are likely to continue to do so.
There is, however, a downside, and that is whilst employment opportunities for local residents have never been so high, many independently run and family run restaurants in and around the area are seeing a downturn in their income, as visitors to the town appear to prefer dining in the casinos they are visiting, rather than frequenting local restaurants.
In fact, many bossiness are facing eviction as the landlords and land owners are being offered a fortune for their land and properties by casino operators, and that is seeing them increasing the rents on their tenants so high that many of them are being forced to close down their businesses or moving them elsewhere.
Whilst Sihanoukville is by no stretch of the imagination a huge place, it is one that is likely to attract even more investors, ever eager to enter the gambling marketplace.
