GGRAsia – Okada Manila reopening at 30pct gaming capacity

Okada Manila reopening at 30pct gaming capacity

Sep 10, 2020 Newsdesk Latest News, Philippines, Top of the deck

The temporary closure order on the Okada Manila casino resort, in effect since March 15 due to the Covid-19 pandemic, has been “partially lifted”, so that gaming tables and slots can operate at “30 percent” capacity, said a Wednesday announcement from the property’s parent, Japanese conglomerate Universal Entertainment Corp.

“The temporary suspension of gaming business order issued by Pagcor (Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp) on March 15, 2020 has been partially lifted,” said Universal Entertainment’s statement to Jasdaq.

“In response to this, Okada Manila will be partially operational,” added the parent. The notice did not mention when the reopening of the property at Entertainment City, Manila, was taking effect.

Pagcor confirmed to GGRAsia in late August, that some casino resorts in that country had been allowed to reopen “limited to a maximum of 30 percent capacity” and with strict health countermeasures against Covid-19.

As of March 31, the most recent month for which Universal Entertainment issued operational data on Okada Manila, the resort had 173 VIP tables, 228 mass tables, and 2,681 gaming machines.

Other areas to resume operation, as per Wednesday’s announcement, were a “part of resort-related facilities such as restaurants and hotels,” said the notice.

Universal Entertainment stated that steps being taken to “prevent the spread of infection” included “thoroughly” implementing “hygiene management protocols such as disinfection and cleaning according to the modes of operation of each facility”. The promoter added it would “strive to operate facilities that customers can enjoy at ease”.

The firm additionally noted that Okada Manila had “not yet determined its consolidated financial forecast for the fiscal year ending December 2020.” It added: “The forecast will be announced as soon as it becomes possible to calculate”.

Universal Entertainment had said in its results for the first six months of 2020, issued in early August, that net sales at Okada Manila had fallen 48.8 percent year-on-year in the first half, to nearly JPY16.10 billion (US$151.6 million), as the property was mostly shuttered during the second quarter.

Universal Entertainment’s subsidiary, Tiger Resort, Leisure and Entertainment Inc, operates the Okada Manila casino resort.

In late May, a source had confirmed to GGRAsia, that Okada Manila was looking to cut more than 1,000 employees, as part of cost-saving measures during the pandemic crisis.