Philippine Appeals Court orders PAGCOR to issue casino license

Philippines Court of Appeals has upheld a lower court ruling ordering the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. to issue a license for Waterfront Philippines to operate an IR in Manila’s Entertainment City.

Waterfront first filed a petition for mandamus in March 2015, saying it had submitted all requirements – including a $100-million cash deposit – but Pagcor was ignoring its application.

“Considering that no additional documents were further required to be submitted, Waterfront is deemed to have completed the requirements for its project application, which warranted the review and evaluation thereof,” said the CA in a 19-page ruling penned by Associate Justice Samuel Gaerlan.

The Court of Appeals also agreed that Waterfront must receive P200,000 (US$3,800) for damages.

The company is planning to build the Grand Waterfront Hotel and Casino at Entertainment City in Parañaque City.

The court noted that Waterfront seeks a license “similar to those granted to Resorts World Manila, City of Dreams, Solaire Resort and Casino, and Okada Manila.”

Waterfront operates several hotel-casino properties in the Philippines, the gaming operations of which utilize PAGCOR’s own Casino Filipino brand.