Vice mayor: No application yet for casino license
Council members in Quezon City in the Philippines are considering a proposed ordinance that would levy a “responsible gambling fee” of P1,500 (US$29) on any city resident who spends 24 hours nonstop inside a gaming hall. According to the Philippine Inquirer, the draft proposal also includes “tedious requirements” that must be met by all gaming establishments operating in the city.
The entry fees have been earmarked for problem gambling programs including a 24/7 helpline for compulsive players.
Vice Mayor Joy Belmonte said council members were encouraged to set the fees higher to better serve as “disincentives” to gamblers. “We will still study whether we would consider these position papers,” she said, adding that suggestions from Mayor Herbert Bautista would also be heard by council.
The ordinance was tabled for approval an October 17 newspaper ad in which “concerned citizens” protested the reported plan to bring a casino to Quezon City.Rumors of such a project began in 2016 after Enrique Razon Jr., chair of Bloomberry Resorts Corp., acquired a 1.56-hectare property within Vertis North, near a local school.
“The ordinance has nothing to do with any casino. It is meant to come up with stricter regulations on all kinds of gaming, which is detrimental to people,” Belmonte said. “It has absolutely no bearing on any casino at all.”
She added that the city government “had not received any formal letter of application for any casino.”
