Experts reject casino entry fee
A casino entry fee in the Philippine market would jeopardise benefits for gaming operations.
Philippines.- Morgan Stanley, a leading global financial services firm, released a statement addressing Philippines’ plan of adding a casino entry fee as a security measure after Friday 2 attack, when 37 people got killed at Resorts World Manila (RWM) by gunman Jessie Carlos, who then killed himself. According to the financial expect, the fee would jeopardise casino revenues, as reported by Asia Gaming Brief.
“The bill seeks to strengthen regulation of the participation or engagement of citizens in casino gambling by ensuring that those who enter casinos and similar gaming establishments have the financial resources to engage in gambling,” proposes the bill, which was introduced by Isabela 1st District Representative Rodolfo Albano III.
The legislative proposal would set an entry fee for local players in casinos countrywide. “It only seeks to address some poor people who have no more money and yet go inside and gamble all they have left for their families, deterrent also to poor addicts,” added lawmaker Albano. “Filipino gamblers view gambling more as an entertainment compared to Chinese gamblers in Macau.”
Philippine authorities are also asking casino operators to submit documents to local venues’ security systems in order to plan improvements in the highly touristic area.
