PACGOR lays off 665 workers from Casino Filipino New Coast property
PAGCOR workers at Casino Filipino New Coast were laid off as operations were transferred to the private sector.
The Philippines.- The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (PAGCOR) has announced the layoff of 665 employees from the Casino Filipino New Coast near Manila Bay. This move is linked to the privatisation of the regulator’s gaming operations by the end of 2025.
Workers at the affected casino were informed of the layoffs during a December town hall meeting led by PAGCOR chairman and CEO Alejandro H. Tengco.
According to The Inquirer, employees have started receiving severance pay in recent days. Despite PAGCOR’s record high revenues of over PHP285bn (US$5.1bn) in 2023, the layoffs account for approximately 6 per cent of the regulator’s workforce.
The layoff decision aligns with PAGCOR’s turnover of casino operations to Marina Square Properties (MSPI), a private licence holder controlled by Hong Kong-listed International Entertainment.
MSPI, which applied for a casino licence during the Duterte administration, committed to investing at least US$1bn in the project. The turnover is scheduled to occur in mid-February.
Tengco emphasized compliance with labour laws and the provision of special incentive packages to the affected workers. He attributed the lack of worker awareness about the impact to the previous PAGCO board.
PAGCOR’s chairman acknowledged the inevitability of job disruptions during the privatization of land-based casinos in the second half of 2025.
Earlier this week, Tengco highlighted the increasing significance of electronic games (e-games) in shaping the country’s gambling landscape.
He said that e-gaming has significantly increased the regulator’s revenues and has the potential to surpass physical casinos in the coming years.
The regulator plans to launch its own online casino. By the second half of the year, Casino Filipino, PAGCOR’s chain of 43 casinos, is expected to have its own online platform. Tengco had previously said it would offer expanded market reach, enhanced customer engagement and increased revenue potential.
