Boracay Will Re-Open With No Casinos

When it re-opens in the future, the Filipino island of Boracay will not have any casinos within the resorts on the sandy beaches.

The government of the Philippines has been anti-gambling since President Rodrigo Duterte was elected, and that has extended to resorts being strictly regulated in terms of casino games. The island closed for six months in an effort to clean up the tiny island, which had a malfunctioning sewer system and needed extensive renovations. The government is set to begin allowing travel to Boracay again on October 26th.

Speaking about the restrictions Departement of Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat said, "[President Duterte] has even instructed the Department of Tourism to close down the existing casinos in the island. So there will be no casinos at all in Boracay."

Despite the declaration, it's questionable whether or not the DoT can actually close the casinos. Some politicians feel that the country's gaming regulator PAGCOR has the exclusive jurisdiction over all casinos. This view is being taken by the Galaxy Entertainment Group, who is planning on building a massive $500 million resort that's slated to open in 2021.

It looks like we're gearing up for a direct faceoff within the government. Casino Listings will follow this story and will update readers as we learn more.