Manila to ease Covid-19 restrictions from September 16

Metro Manila will test a five-level system of “granular” lockdowns in specific areas. Casinos in the Entertainment zone will remain closed for now.

The Philippines.- Authorities in the Philippines have announced that the capital city of Manila will ease Covid-19 restrictions under a five-level system of “granular” lockdowns to better control specific areas of high infection.

According to the government, the Philippines Department of Health will decide which zones will be placed in each level. From September 16, the entire capital district will be put under “Level 4”, the second-strictest level.

Under Level 4, casinos, lottery and betting shops, and other gaming venues must remain shut unless the Inter-Agency Task Force or the Office of the President specifically allows them to reopen.

Under Level 3, gambling venues will be able to reopen at 30 per cent capacity, a figure that will increase to 50 per cent in Level 2. “Level 1 will have the least limitations, permitting casinos to work at full limit.

Philippines GGR down 27% for Q2

The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp (Pagcor) has reported that gaming revenue fell by 27 per cent to PHP18.80bn (US$373.0m) in the second quarter of 2021, down from PHP25.74bn in the first quarter.

However, GGR was up 690 per cent when compared to the previous year when the Covid-19 pandemic haltered the gaming industry and the majority of the casino venues were closed. The government announced Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) measures in April.

Manila’s casinos generated 78 per cent of the GGR for the second quarter, with a total of PHP14.67bn. However, the number was down by 30.5 per cent from the previous quarter, when casino venues generated almost PHP21.12bn. 

Casinos located in the Clark Freeport Zone reached PHP2.24bn in GGR, up 19.1 per cent when compared to the PHP1.88bn registered for the first quarter. Thunderbird Resorts and Casinos gaming properties experienced a 67.9 per cent decline quarter-on-quarter to PHP86.93m.

PAGCOR operated casinos reached PHP486.2m in table games GGR, down 35.4 per cent from the previous quarter. Slot machines GGR dropped by 27.1 per cent from PHP1.46bn to PHP1.07bn.

The total GGR generated by PAGCOR properties in the second quarter was PHP1.80bn – 9.6 per cent of all industry GGR and a decrease of 27.3 per cent from the first three months of the year.