Philippine Gambling News
- Three of the four casino resorts in Manila, the capital city of the Philippines, have gotten online gambling licenses that allow them to cater to domestic high roller customers. This comes as the country continues to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic.
- The types of gambling available in Philippines are: casinos, horseracing tracks, sportsbetting parlours. The largest gambling city in Philippines is Manila with 13 gambling facilities, 670 tables games, 4,741 gaming, slot, and video poker machines. The largest casino in the entire country of Philippines is Okada Manila which is located in.
MANILA -- The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Tuesday assured tough sanctions for police officials who are not taking action on illegal gambling operations.
Between January 2017 and October 2019, Philippine police dealt with 65 cases of kidnap-for-ransom involving POGO workers or casino customers, leading to the arrests of 132 people, according to an. Legitimate Chinese gambling business has been a source of huge revenue for the government-run Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation, which has allowed it to thrive despite opposition from. The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Wednesday underscored the importance of pieces of evidence, which will prove that human rights violations were really committed by state forces in the Duterte administration's drug war.
PNP deputy chief for operations, Lt. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar, said he will meet concerned directorates with their contact officers to conduct an in-depth study on illegal gambling operations in the country.
'Titingnan din natin kung paano nakakalusot yung illegal gambling operations [We will also take a look at how and why illegal gambling operations go unnoticed],' Eleazar told reporters as he led the destruction of 56 units of video karera machines together with PNP-Integrity Monitoring and Enforcement Group (IMEG) chief, Col. Ronald Lee, in Camp Crame.
Eleazar said the one-strike policy on police officials means that PNP chief, Gen. Archie Francisco Gamboa, is serious in the anti-illegal gambling campaign.
“The Chief PNP (Gen. Archie Gamboa) really means business on this campaign. The relief of different unit commanders in the ground will have a clear message and impact on the other unit commanders,' said Eleazar.
Since the one-strike policy was implemented, numerous unit commanders and chiefs of police have been relieved.
Recently, three city police chiefs and seven units commanders in Metro Manila were relieved.
'With this development, we are expecting and hoping that unit commanders would react to once and for all and substantially eradicate these illegal gambling operations,' he added.
Stressing that gambling has always been part of Filipino culture, Eleazar said this was taken advantage of by syndicates for money-making activities.
Philippines Gambling News
The gambling syndicates, he said, are also responsible for the evolution of illegal gambling which is the reason for the proliferation of online gambling.
'Like illegal drugs, gambling addiction robs the sanity of a person both young and old as it affects both his potential and productivity. (It makes a family dysfunctional) and it poses a threat to the community where he lives when he is forced to do something to sustain his gambling addiction,' said Eleazar.
Philippine Casino News
As chairman of the PNP Oversight Committee, Eleazar said that he had discussed the renewed drive against illegal gambling with police commanders across the country.
Eleazar was tasked by Gamboa to review all the modus operandi of illegal gambling syndicates and come up with recommendations before the PNP leadership meets with government regulatory bodies like the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation.
The first meeting was held on Tuesday.
He said that with the intervention of the IMEG, the connivance between illegal gambling operators and law enforcement agencies would be stopped.
'Talagang dapat sagasaan lahat [All of them will be hit], I believe that everybody will react on this guideline of the chief PNP,' he noted.
He warned that those found involved in any illegal gambling activities, be they a gambler or protector, will be relieved and charged administratively and criminally.
Lee, meanwhile, revealed that operations of video karera machines were also found near the places where the illegal drug trade was happening.
He bared that several players of the video karera machines were also using illegal drugs.
The seized video karera machines were from the 'depressed areas' of Caloocan, Pasay, and Muntinlupa City.
Meanwhile, PHP30,000 worth of coins were also confiscated in various anti-illegal gambling operations.
Lee said there are 24 civilians facing raps due to illegal gambling. (PNA)
First time for domestic online gambling
Three of the four casino resorts in Manila, the capital city of the Philippines, have gotten online gambling licenses that allow them to cater to domestic high roller customers. This comes as the country continues to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic.
Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) chairperson Andrea Domingo confirmed the issuance of the recently created Philippine Inland Gaming Operator (PIGO) licenses this week.
Universal Entertainment, Melco Resorts, and Bloomberry Resorts
The three recipients of these licenses were Universal Entertainment, Melco Resorts, and Bloomberry Resorts. The other casino resort in the city is under the operation of the Genting subsidiary Resorts World. This is the first time that licensed online gambling operators in the Philippines can welcome customers from within the country, albeit qualified high rollers.
The PIGOs’ gross gaming revenue will be subject to a 30% effective tax rate. 25% of the gaming revenue will go to PAGCOR, with the remaining 5% going to the Philippines Bureau of Internal Revenue.
In-person registration
Only known high rollers who are already a part of a licensee’s player database will be eligible to use these online gambling platforms. VIPs must register in person to gamble online; all deposits and withdrawals will go through a land-based PIGO casino.
The reason for the in-person requirement is to make sure that only people who are physically located in the Philippines are using the PIGO platforms.
it will be good to collect revenues and stop illegal gambling”
Speaking about the positives of these new licenses, Domingo said: “It will be good to collect revenues and stop illegal gambling because there’s a lot of illegal gambling.”
Philippine Casino News
Online operators hope that they can launch their online operations in December. DFNN was the first gaming operator to receive a license, getting it earlier this week.
A tough year for casinos
Though COVID-19 cases have been stabilizing in the Philippines, there are still significant restrictions in place. This includes casinos, which are only permitted to have every second slot machine up and running and a limit of three players per table game. All entrants are subject to temperature screening and must wear face coverings while inside the properties.
Philippines Online Gambling News
VIP gamblers account for 10-15% of annual casino revenue in the Philippines. Casino revenue naturally has been significantly down in 2020 because of extensive shutdowns and restrictions. For the first three quarters of the year, gross gaming revenue fell 60% to $1.5bn.
