A general quarantine of the Metro Manila area of the Philippines will remain in effect until July 15. The capital city is home to the Entertainment City casino zone, including City of Dreams Manila, Okada Manila, Resorts World Manila and Solaire Resort and Casino, all of which closed in mid-March.
The quarantine was scheduled to expire on June 30, but after consulting with the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases, which reported a rise in the number of Covid-19 infections in the country, President Rodrigo Duterte ordered the extension.
The Philippine Department of Health website indicated that the total number of Covid-19 cases in the nation topped 37,500 as of June 30. A total of 1,080 new cases had been reported on that single day. More than 26,000 cases remained active, and a total of 1,266 people had died.
Manila’s casino resorts are said to be conducting “dry runs in their respective properties” ahead of reopening, a spokesperson for the country’s regulator, the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp., said in a recent statement to GGRAsia.
Gross gaming revenue produced by the Philippine casino sector in the first quarter was down 13.6 percent year-on-year, to PHP45.40 billion (US$910.8 million), according to official data.
In other Philippine gaming news, presidential spokesman Harry Roque has reiterated to Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) that they must satisfy their tax arrears or leave the country.
“Our position is clear, If they want to stay, they have to pay the right taxes. They have to follow rules and regulations, and health guidelines set by the Inter Agency Task Force for Emerging Infectious Diseases,” Roque said. “We need them because we need the revenues. But unless they pay up, goodbye!”
The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (PAGCOR) suspended POGO operations on March 18 due to Covid-19, but allowed a limited reopening starting May 1, taking a much tougher stance on POGOs’ tax liabilities.
