Betting in Manila
Manila is the capital of the Philippines and by far the country’s largest city. Originally settled in 1571, the city spent 300 years under Spanish colonial rule and a brief spell under American and Japanese control before becoming fully independent in 1946.
Gambling has been permitted in the city since 1976 when the state-controlled monopoly PAGCOR (Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation) was established. Since then betting activities at permitted site have included slot machines, baccarat, blackjack, roulette, craps, Poker and more. To partake in gambling in Manila. Players must be at least 21 years of age.
There are three PAGCOR-managed casinos in Manila that operate under the Casino Filipino brand. The Casino Filipino Heritage is based in Heritage Hotel and is open 24 hours a day throughout most of the year - although it does close on major national holidays. The venue consists of a huge gaming space that cover in excess of 20,000 square meters and features nearly 500 gaming machines and around 60 table games, as well as dining facilities and a bar.
The Casino Filipino Pavilion at the Manila Pavilion Holiday Inn is even bigger, with a 35,000 square foot gaming floor featuring 700 gaming machines and over 100 table games. The 24/7 venue is also host to six restaurants and a bar. Clients can enjoy a range of games such as American roulette, baccarat, big & small, blackjack, mah jong, lucky 9, pai gow poker, pontoon, roulette and stud poker.
The third casino in the group is the Casino Filipino Hyatt Manila. Also open 24/7, it has a spacious gaming zone (161,500 square foot) that includes around 700 gaming machines and more than 70 table and poker games. In addition, punters have a choice of six restaurants in which to dine as well as a dedicated bar. Once again, there are a huge number of table games to choose from.
Manila is also home to several slot arcades that are run under license to PAGCOR. A prime example would be the Grand Villa VIP Slot Club on Pateros which boasts 250 gaming machines, and the Slot Machine Arcade in Ronquillo which houses close to 400 slot machines.
Inspired by the gambling scene in Macau, Manila has made attempts to attract Chinese tourists by offering some of their favourite games. The Midas Hotel hosts a casino and also features a round-the-clock slot machine area. Likewise, the Solaire Resort and Casino has offered 1,200 gaming machines and 295 table games since it opened its doors in 2013.
Resorts World Manila is another new addition to the scene and is affiliated to the Genting Casinos Company based in Malaysia. The 24/7 resort in Manila’s Newport City district has a massive gaming space of over 300,000 square feet containing 1,500 slot machines and 300 gaming tables. As well as gambling facilities, the complex features three hotels, restaurants, gaming facilities, night clubs and a luxury shopping mall all in the same location.
Horse racing fans needn’t feel left out as Manila has been home to the Santa Ana Park horse track since 2009. The 65 hectare venue is hosted by the Philippine Racing Club at the Saddle & Clubs Leisure Park in Naic. Punters can bet on thoroughbred race meetings via a full-service race book on-site or at dozens of off-track betting kiosks located throughout the city.
