Sep 02, 2014 Newsdesk Latest News, Philippines, Top of the deck  
A Philippine legislator is proposing the country adopts a Singapore-style entry levy for casinos.
Representative Peter Unabia has submitted a bill to Congress proposing that all Philippine nationals pay a PHP3,500 (US$80.5) casino entrance levy to be allowed inside the country’s casinos.
The bill is pending with the House Committee on Games and Amusements. It was originally filed on August 11.
Mr Unabia is a member of the ruling Liberal Party of President Benigno Aquino.
He said in the bill’s explanatory note that the measure would prevent “financially inadequate” people to gamble inside casinos. “The imposition of an entrance fee will discourage the locals from gambling in casinos,” the explanatory note adds, quoted by local media.
The full text of the bill was not available on the website of the Philippine Congress when this story was published. It is not clear from local media reports whether the proposed fee would be per 24-hour period, and whether there would be the option for Philippine nationals to pay an annual entry levy allowing year-round access.
Singapore imposes on its citizens and permanent residents a statutory entry fee of either SGD100 (US$80) for 24-hour access, or SGD2,000 for a year’s entry but is content to give foreigners free access. Japan is mulling an entry levy on casino visitors were casino gaming to be legalised in the country.
Casino legislation in the Philippines states that residents must have a gross income for the previous year of at least PHP50,000 to be allowed to play in the casino, Mr Unabia stressed.
“In reality, however, this requirement is neither observed nor imposed,” he said.
Jun 01, 2023
Jun 01, 2023
Jun 02, 2023
Jun 02, 2023
Jun 02, 2023
Genting Singapore Ltd says Lam Yi Young has resigned from his role as deputy chief executive of Resorts World at Sentosa Pte Ltd. The latter firm is an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of Genting...Jun 01, 2023
Alfastreet, a manufacturer of electronic gaming machines,...Jun 01, 2023
Casino equipment maker Sega Sammy Creation Inc is tweaking...Jun 01, 2023
The iGaming segment in Asia “has grown rapidly” since...May 31, 2023
Showing slot machine players – via animations on the...May 31, 2023
Macau stocks in likelihood “have been punished too much...May 31, 2023
There are foreign companies still interested in investing...May 31, 2023
Thailand could pass the necessary enabling legislation for...May 30, 2023
China will remain a key market for Asian gaming...May 30, 2023
Alejandro Tengco (pictured in a file photo), chairman and...May 30, 2023
There are “plenty of reasons” for the global gaming...May 30, 2023
Gaming equipment provider International Game Technology Plc...May 30, 2023
The Global Gaming Expo (G2E) Asia 2023 Special Edition:...May 29, 2023
Austria-based gaming equipment maker and operator Novomatic...May 25, 2023
Sports betting and online casino operating platform...May 24, 2023
The business performance in Asia of gaming content and...May 18, 2023
The organisers of Global Gaming Expo (G2E) Asia 2023...May 17, 2023
Gaming content and equipment supplier Light & Wonder...May 16, 2023
Casino equipment maker Sega Sammy Creation Inc is to...May 09, 2023
Casino slot machine and digital gaming content provider...May 05, 2023
The Global Gaming Expo (G2E) Asia event in Singapore is the...May 04, 2023
An adviser to a Thailand parliamentary committee mulling...(Click here for more)
US$8.1 billion
Macau’s casino gross gaming revenue in the five months to May 31