Metro Manila Casinos to remain closed until at least October 15
Casinos in the Entertainment City zone in Metro Manila remain shut as the city continues under Level 4 restrictions.
The Philippines.- The capital city of Manila continues under Level 4 Covid-19 restrictions, which means casinos in Entertainment City will remain closed at least under October 15 when authorities will review the countermeasures.
In September, authorities in the Philippines had announced that the capital would ease Covid-19 restrictions under a five-level system of “granular” lockdowns to better control specific areas of high infection. Since September 16, the capital district has been under Level 4, the second-strictest level.
Under this level, 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.
Through its website, Solaire Resort and Casino said its venue remains closed and it is not allowed to accept new hotel reservations. Another casino venue, City of Dreams Manila stressed that staycations are not allowed.
If the city moves to Level 3 after October 15, casinos could be allowed to reopen at 30 per cent of their venue capacity while under Level 2, capacity will extend to 50 per cent. Only when the city reaches Level 1 will casinos be able to reopen at full capacity.
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.
