“Galaxy has said they are now looking for another site. That is very much welcome,” said Frederick Alegre, assistant secretary of the country’s Department of Tourism, on Tuesday during a press conference in Boracay, as quoted by social news network Rappler.
The Macau casino operator said on March 21 that a wholly-owned unit had been granted a provisional gaming licence by the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp (Pagcor), the casino regulator in that country.
Galaxy Entertainment announced in December a US$500-million investment for the holiday island of Boracay, in partnership with Philippines-based Leisure and Resorts World Corp. The project was however put in doubt as presidential spokesman Harry Roque said earlier this month “there will be no new casino in Boracay”.
Alegre’s remarks were reported a week before a previously-flagged government shutdown of Boracay would begin on April 26. The shutdown, referred to as an environmental clean up initiative, is effective for a six-month period.
According to the tourism official, Galaxy Entertainment will have to re-apply for a gaming licence from Pagcor. “They just have to go through the process of accreditation and securing again a new Pagcor provisional authority. The whole process will be repeated,” Alegre was quoted as saying by the Rappler.
Source: GMB / GGR Asia
