Four Philippine casinos reopen with capacity limits

PAGCOR has confirmed it allowed four companies outside Metro Manila to resume operations at the beginning of June.

Philippine.- Four casinos located away from Metro Manila have been allowed to reopen with capacity restrictions.

The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) confirmed that four casinos were authorised to operate at 50 per cent capacity as of June 8.

The four casinos are Bacolor city on Negros Island in Western Visayas; Iloilo city in the island of Panay; General Santos city on Mindanao island; and Ilocos Norte in Luzon.

Casinos in Metro Manila remain closed. The decision was taken by PAGCOR after Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte imposed a “community quarantine.”

The suspension applied to land-based casinos, both PAGCOR-owned and operated as well as all licensed and integrated resort casinos, electronic game, bingo, sports betting, poker and slot machine clubs, and other activities regulated by PAGCOR.

The regulator said the opening of venues is based on the classification of each region by the national government according to prevalence of Covid-19.

In the meantime, PAGCOR has said that Metro Manila resorts are checking technical issues to prepare to reopen when the authorities allow it.