
It is not a secret that the Philippines has become one of the most visited Asian countries. Tourism is an essential sector that supports the overall budget of the country. However, the economic experts working for the government do not plan to stop there. Officials plan to continue with investments that will support tourism even more.
So, what have the experts decided? They realized that gambling is one of the reasons why tourists come to the Philippines. In the last couple of months, the government has revealed all the potential investments that will be made in the casino sector. Logically, the reason for those investments is to attract even more people to come and visit this lovely country.
Let’s discover what will happen in the next 5 to 10 years!
$6 Billion Investment into Philippine Casino Industry
The casino industry in the Philippines has already made a massive jump in the last couple of years. Despite the number of land-based casinos, there are also many real money online casinos in the Philippines that offer their platform to everyone and provide a fantastic source of entertainment for both locals and tourists.
However, the officials do not plan to stop there. Believe it or not, the government has shown a willingness to invest 6 billion dollars in the next five years in the gambling section. The purpose of such a decision is to help the Philippines establish a better position in the iGaming industry.
As we previously mentioned, gambling and tourism are closely connected since a lot of travelers come here to test their luck in the online and offline world. A better position in the gambling market will only make this country more attractive to people who are passionate about casino games.
Last year, nearly 6 million people visited the Philippines, and this decision will boost that number in the next five years a lot. The officials’ primary focus is attracting the same number of tourists who visited the country each year before the pandemic.
However, they also want to ensure that their gambling offer is better than the one Japan, their biggest competitor, Singapore, or South Korea offer to the tourists. This way, they can only attract people that would potentially visit some other countries in Eastand Southeast Asia for the same purpose.
Logically, these investments are not only associated with tourism. We must remind people that the gambling industry in the Philippines is employing a large number of people. With these massive investments, the unemployment rate will go even lower, which will satisfy many people within the country.
Premium Leisure Corporation Also Makes New Investments
PLC, owned and controlled by the Sy family, also plans to expand its gaming portfolio. According to the mainstream media, PLC has applied for a new license to operate a casino resort in Clark, Pampanga. Unnamed sources suggest that the total investment in this project is going to be around $300 million.
In the next 2 or 3 years, people will have a new option where they can test their luck. We are absolutely sure that Sy family plans to make a huge gaming floor as part of a new resort where a bunch of slot machines and tables are going to be added. Besides, they have already proved their quality since they hold stakes in City of Dreams Manila.
Laws in the Philippines Connected Tourism and Gambling Even More
Logically, gambling is not the only reason visitors can enjoy when reaching the Philippines. One of the reasons why these two industries are connected is the regulations that the resorts must respect. Resorts must not use more than 7.5% of the total gaming floor for gambling purposes.
The remaining 92.5% must be dedicated to other non-gaming facilities such as hotel rooms, restaurants, clubs, dining areas, retail areas, etc. Gambling is directly offered to tourists and it seems that most of them will accept that offer.
Tourism in the Philippines Will Certainly Improve
After highlighting all the major investments that the country and private businesses will make, we can only conclude that tourism in the Philippines will undoubtedly improve. The new investments will ensure more gambling opportunities in the online and offline world.
Logically, that will attract more tourists who are passionate about casino games and want to test their luck during their vacation. The Philippines will become the most attractive casino destination in the entire region.