Filipino Locals May Gamble in Entertainment City Casino Resorts

Contrary to previous news, Philippine gambling authority Pagcor has assured local Filipino gamblers that they are welcome to play at Entertainment City.

According to Pagcor, there will be some regulations, but they won’t ban Filipino casino guests from entering the premises as soon as Entertainment City casinos will open in 2016.

Pagcor chairman Cristino Naguiat Jr. informed: “We cannot prevent them from going there. We do not want to deprive them of the chance to see and experience the world-class entertainment that the Casino city resorts will provide.”

The 100-hectare mega project will present the ground for four integrated resorts. The winners of casino resort bids are Bloomberry Resorts, Belle Corp with Melco Crown, Tiger Resorts with Alliance Global and Travelers International Hotel Group.

According to Filipino gambling news Pagcor expects to generate an annual revenue of $10 billion when all four resorts are fully operational. The Entertainment City is expected to generate over 400,000 in direct and indirect jobs, presenting much needed employment opportunities for the troubled Filipino economy.

Pagcor’s promise is good news for local players. There were fears that the Manila resorts would be operated similarly to the planned mega gambling spot in Vietnam, which only allows casino entry only to foreigners and overseas Vietnamese holding foreign passports.

Banning locals is common in South East Asia, even upcoming gambling destination Singapore implements certain measures to stop local residents playing in casinos.

Pagcor did confirm that there will be some kind of regulations regarding the entry of local citizens, but gave no further details about the if’s and how’s.

There is a lot depending on the success of Entertainment City, and there are some high rollers in the Philippines as well as a growing numbers of middle-class gamblers who could contribute to good results.

Recently, the Filipino presidential office released a press statement, saying that Entertainment City will be a family destination “beyond gaming”.