Entertainment City properties open with restrictions, despite higher Covid alert system

Some properties in Manila’s Entertainment City remain open, with operating restrictions, despite Manila having moved to the higher Alert Level 3 until January 15th.




According to a message on Solaire Resort & Casino’s website, the property is open to all fully vaccinated guests, aged 18 and above. Shops are open and restaurants and the casino are operating on a limited capacity basis in line with government guidelines. Solaire is owned by Bloomberry Resorts & Casinos.




Melco Resorts & Entertainment’s City of Dreams Manila said its indoor dining venues are open at 40 percent capacity for the fully vaccinated and at 60 percent for outdoor dining regardless of status.




The 40 percent limit is also applied to hotel gyms and spas for the fully vaccinated. The hotels are open for both leisure and business stays, although its DreamPlay attraction will be closed. 




Manila raised its Alert Level to 3 from January 3rd as the infectious Omicron variant was discovered in the country. 




According to OCTA Research the level of occupancy in Manila’s hospital beds due to Covid 19 has risen from 17 percent to 29 percent in the past seven days. 




The Philippines' casinos have faced a variety of different operating restrictions since the pandemic. Casinos in the Metro Manila area had been operating on a limited capacity, invite-only, basis up until August 5, when the city went into lockdown as Covid cases rose. Restrictions were lifted in Sept. and the resorts were able to take leisure hotel guests from the beginning of November.




As a result, gross gambling revenue figures from the Philippines have shown an improvement.




According to figures released by the Philippines Amusement & Gaming Corp (PAGCOR), total industry GGR in the third quarter was P26.94 billion ($538 million), up from P17.6 billion a year earlier and higher than the P20.8 billion recorded in the prior quarter.




Revenue from licensed casinos was P21.7 billion in the quarter, higher than the P16.9 billion recorded in 2Q21. Entertainment City casinos saw their GGR rise 49 percent from a year earlier to P19.36 billion, also higher than the P14.6 billion in the prior quarter.