Gaming | Belle Corp urges PH government to stop casino expansion

Signage for the City of Dreams Manila casino resort

Belle Corp Manila has called out to discourage the near-term expansion of casinos outside the Entertainment City complex in Manila, as it could defeat the purpose of establishing the company’s joint venture integrated casino complex, City of Dreams Manila.
City of Dreams Manila, operated by Melco Crown Philippines, is now in its second year of operations and was poised to post year-on-year growth, according to Belle vice-chair Willy Ocier.
According to a report by Philippine Daily Inquirer, Ocier warned that the situation could end in a similar fashion to Las Vegas, which faced competition from Native American gaming facilities like bingo halls and casinos located within Indian reservations.
“If you ask me, there should be no more multiple casinos because that killed Las Vegas,” Ocier said. “For the whole of China, wherever they are, it is only in Macau where they are allowed to gamble. In Singapore, [there are] only two casinos and that’s it for the entire country. That should be the same in the Philippines,” the vice-chair emphasized.
Entertainment City is currently being developed as the country’s version of gaming hubs like Macau and Las Vegas through four licensees.