Philippines set to keep anti-casino policy

President Rodrigo Duterte has been harsh on casinos for a few years and is not expected to change his mind.

Philippines.- According to Chairwoman of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp (PAGCOR), Andrea Domingo, President Rodrigo Duterte is not expected to change his anti-casino stance any time soon. He has yet to address the casino moratorium implemented in January 2018 and the uncertainty around the future is a concern for the industry.

Recently, Duterte’s spokesman Salvador S. Panelo said: “Until such time as he makes a formal statement on the matter, I think whatever his former position was, subsists.”

Panelo’s comments were triggered by a Bloomberg interview with Ms. Domingo, who stated the moratorium should be partially lifted to get the gaming segment to continue thriving and get benefits for the country. She had stated that she hoped to meet with Duterte to discuss it, but no further news have been revealed yet.

The moratorium has brought the industry to a state of doubt and it’s still unknown how long it will continue to be in effect. However, it hasn’t been particularly harmed by it, as GGR reached €3.16 billion last year, 22.9% higher than 2017’s.