• Subscribe
  • Magazines
  • About
  • Contact
  • Advertise
Tuesday 8 July 2025
  • zh-hant 中文
  • ja 日本語
  • en English
IAG
Advertisement
  • Newsfeed
  • Mag Articles
  • Video
  • Opinion
  • Tags
  • Regional
    • Africa
    • Australia
    • Cambodia
    • China
    • CNMI
    • Europe
    • Hong Kong
    • India
    • Japan
    • Laos
    • Latin America
    • Malaysia
    • Macau
    • Nepal
    • New Zealand
    • North America
    • North Korea
    • Philippines
    • Russia
    • Singapore
    • South Korea
    • Sri Lanka
    • Thailand
    • UAE
    • Vietnam
  • Events
  • Contributors
  • SUBSCRIBE FREE
No Result
View All Result
IAG
  • Newsfeed
  • Mag Articles
  • Video
  • Opinion
  • Tags
  • Regional
    • Africa
    • Australia
    • Cambodia
    • China
    • CNMI
    • Europe
    • Hong Kong
    • India
    • Japan
    • Laos
    • Latin America
    • Malaysia
    • Macau
    • Nepal
    • New Zealand
    • North America
    • North Korea
    • Philippines
    • Russia
    • Singapore
    • South Korea
    • Sri Lanka
    • Thailand
    • UAE
    • Vietnam
  • Events
  • Contributors
  • SUBSCRIBE FREE
No Result
View All Result
IAG
No Result
View All Result

Harrah’s signs JV deal in Philippines say sources

Newsdesk by Newsdesk
Fri 26 Mar 2010 at 00:00
3
SHARES
66
VIEWS
Print Friendly, PDF & Email

Has Harrah’s finally made its much-anticipated move into the Asian casino gaming market?

Word reaches Asian Gaming Intelligence from generally reliable sources that Harrah’s has signed a joint venture deal for land-based gaming in the Philippines with local company Leisure and Resorts World Corp.

Harrah’s has been linked in the past with just about every current gaming jurisdiction in Asia and every likely one. But it’s possible this time a courtship has led to an actual engagement.

Leisure and Resorts World Corp is the sort of local partner with the real estate development experience and local gaming management experience vital for foreign operators trying to make a success of the Philippines market. Genting Hong Kong (formerly Star Cruises) did something similar when it teamed up with Alliance Global Group, the conglomerate headed by Philippines entrepreneur Andrew Tan, to develop Resorts World Manila at Newport City near Manila’s international airport.

Despite the similar name, Leisure and Resorts World Corp is not related to the Resorts World Manila project. There’s no word yet on the supposed site of Harrah’s joint venture venue. It’s also not clear at this stage whether heavily indebted Harrah’s is expected to bring cash to the deal or whether it’s more to do with using Harrah’s name and service standards (or ‘brand equity’ as the deal to use MGM MIRAGE’s name on the Ho Tram Strip project in Vietnam was known). Attempts to contact Michael Chen, President, Asia-Pacific Region at Harrah’s Entertainment, Inc., for comment were unsuccessful at the time AGI went to press.

Leisure and Resorts World Corp is led by Philippines entrepreneur Albee Benitez, who featured in our sister publication Inside Asian Gaming‘s ‘Asian Gaming 50 2009’ list of the most influential people in the regional industry.

As well as its involvement in real estate development, Leisure and Resorts World Corp also operates the Philippines’s largest chain of bingo halls with 36 sites—all licensed and regulated in turn by the national gaming regulator-cum-operator, the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR). The bingo halls are in the country’s major shopping malls and offer a range of games including traditional bingo, electronic bingo, instant bingo pull-tabs and Rapid Bingo—a keno-type game.

Any Harrah’s link up with Leisure and Resorts World Corp could also assist Harrah’s in its aspirations to enter the online gaming market. Leisure and Resorts World Corp is a majority owner of First Cagayan Leisure and Resorts Corp, that acts both as regulator and operator of gaming businesses in the Cagayan Special Economic Zone Authority (CEZA). CEZA, a freeport set up in the north of the country by the Philippines government in 1995, is Asia’s first and so far only issuer of internationally recognised licences for companies offering online offshore gaming content and services. Mitch Garber, CEO of Harrah’s Interactive Entertainment, gave a keynote address on the topic of online gaming at the iGamingAsia Congress organised by Beacon Events in Macau in February. Mr Garber, a lawyer by profession, pointed out that Harrah’s–as a holder of land based gaming licences in the United States, including Nevada–would only consider pursuing online gaming once it was satisfied such a move would pose no threat to its existing land gaming licences. It is currently unlawful for online gaming companies to offer Internet gambling and Internet sports betting services to US citizens.

RelatedPosts

Philippines President Marcos open to stricter online gambling regulations if “well-studied”

Philippines President Marcos open to stricter online gambling regulations if “well-studied”

Tue 8 Jul 2025 at 06:21
FBM Philippines kicks-off new “Rain or Shine, It’s Game Time” promotion this week

FBM Philippines kicks-off new “Rain or Shine, It’s Game Time” promotion this week

Tue 8 Jul 2025 at 05:43
DigiPlus launches US$106 million share buyback scheme

DigiPlus launches US$106 million share buyback scheme

Mon 7 Jul 2025 at 10:17
Philippine resort NUSTAR enters strategic partnership with airport hospitality provider Plaza Premium Group

Philippine resort NUSTAR enters strategic partnership with airport hospitality provider Plaza Premium Group

Sun 6 Jul 2025 at 09:11
Load More
Tags: Philippines
Share1Share
Newsdesk

Newsdesk

The IAG Newsdesk team comprises some of the most experienced journalists in the Asian gaming industry. Offering a broad range of expertise, their decades of combined know-how spans multiple countries across a variety of topics.

Current Issue

Editorial – An inconvenient truth

Editorial – An inconvenient truth

by Ben Blaschke
Fri 27 Jun 2025 at 15:21

It’s understandable that political observers, academics and members of the public in greenfield jurisdictions would express caution around the legalization...

Light & Wonder’s Siobhan Lane

Light & Wonder’s Siobhan Lane

by Ben Blaschke
Fri 27 Jun 2025 at 15:19

Siobhan Lane, Light & Wonder’s highly experienced CEO of Gaming, speaks to Inside Asian Gaming about the company’s ongoing transformation...

Honesty is the best policy

Honesty is the best policy

by Ben Blaschke
Fri 27 Jun 2025 at 14:13

The Thailand Entertainment Complex Roundtable brought industry stakeholders, politicians and supporters of the government’s Entertainment Complex Bill face to face...

Sri Lanka’s casino industry

Sri Lanka’s casino industry

by Shaun McCamley
Fri 27 Jun 2025 at 13:36

Industry veteran Shaun McCamley delves into the complex history of Sri Lanka’s casino industry at a time when the country...

Evolution Asia
Your browser does not support HTML5 video.
Aristocrat
GLI
Nustar
SABA
Mindslot
Solaire
Hann
Tecnet
NWR
Jumbo
568Win

Related Posts

SABA Sports unveils QuickBet Widget: Seamless, smart betting across every digital surface

SABA Sports unveils QuickBet Widget: Seamless, smart betting across every digital surface

by Newsdesk
Tue 8 Jul 2025 at 12:59

CLIENT PROMOTION In its latest stride toward redefining sports betting experiences, SABA Sports proudly introduces the QuickBet Widget – a compact yet powerful tool that transforms any digital platform into a high-converting betting environment. Built for speed, flexibility and smart...

Crown saga claims new scalp as Western Australia’s Chief Casino Officer steps down over conflict of interest claims

Crown Perth deemed suitable to maintain casino license after three-year remediation

by Ben Blaschke
Tue 8 Jul 2025 at 12:40

Crown Resorts has cleared the final hurdle in its long path back to full suitability after the Western Australia Government announced that Crown Perth has been found suitable to maintain its casino license. Crown Perth had been found unfit to...

Philippines President Marcos open to stricter online gambling regulations if “well-studied”

Philippines President Marcos open to stricter online gambling regulations if “well-studied”

by Newsdesk
Tue 8 Jul 2025 at 06:21

Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos Jr has expressed cautious support for calls to impose stricter regulations on the growing eGames – or domestic online gaming – sector, provided any such restrictions are based on factual studies. According to state-run Philippine News...

Industry gathers for milestone Macau After Dark at Vasco – Bar and Lounge as MAD concept celebrates 30th edition

Industry gathers for milestone Macau After Dark at Vasco – Bar and Lounge as MAD concept celebrates 30th edition

by Newsdesk
Tue 8 Jul 2025 at 05:57

Around 100 industry guests came together at Artyzen Grand Lapa Macau’s sophisticated Vasco – Bar and Lounge on Monday night to celebrate the latest edition of regular social networking event Macau After Dark (MAD). This was the 30th edition of...



IAG

© 2005-2024
Inside Asian Gaming.
All rights reserved.

  • SUBSCRIBE FREE
  • NEWSFEED
  • MAG ARTICLES
  • VIDEO
  • OPINION
  • TAGS
  • REGIONAL
  • EVENTS
  • CONSULTING
  • CONTRIBUTORS
  • MAGAZINES
  • ABOUT
  • CONTACT
  • ADVERTISE

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In

Add New Playlist

No Result
View All Result
  • Subscribe
  • Newsfeed
  • Mag Articles
  • Video
  • Opinion
  • Tags
  • Regional
  • Events
  • Contributors
  • Magazines
  • Advertise
  • Contact
  • About
  • Home for G2E Asia

© 2005-2024
Inside Asian Gaming.
All rights reserved.

  • English