Operated by: Melco Resorts & Entertainment Limited. With a soft opening on December 14, 2014, and a Grand Opening on February 2, 2015, City of Dreams Manila marked the beginning of a new era in Philippines gambling and entertainment. The complex sits on a 6.2-hectare site at the gateway to Entertainment City. There will be 1,680 slot machines, 365 gaming tables, and 1,680 electronic table games upon opening. Private-sector casino resorts in Metro Manila include Okada Manila, City of Dreams Manila, Solaire Resort and Casino, and Resorts World Manila. GGRAsia approached the respective operators of those properties, but had received no reply by the time this story went online.

Casino – City of Dreams Mediterranean

City of Dreams Mediterranean is Cyprus’ first integrated casino resort, the only one of its kind in Europe, which is expected to open its doors in 2021. A world-class development, a landmark for Cyprus but also for the wider region. The casino resort City is located in western Limassol and will be built to adapt to the natural neighboring environment. In a spacious 7,500m2 gaming area the visitors will be able to choose their favorite type of game from 140 Gaming Tables and 1,200 state-of-the-art Slot Machines.

City of Dreams Mediterranean will offer a wide range of attractions and entertainment options beyond gaming. It will undoubtedly enrich Cyprus’ tourism product and is expected to attract an additional 300,000 tourists annually. It will contribute significantly not only to the development and the economy of the Limassol region but to the economy of the whole island as well.

The Casino will be Eastern Mediterranean’s and Europe’s largest Integrated Casino-Resort and is situated on 37 hectares of land; featuring a 16-storey hotel tower with 500 guest rooms including multi-bay suites with garden balconies, an exposition center, an extensive “poolscape” area with four large outdoor pools and amenities such as Jacuzzis as well as an expansive children’s playground and MICE facilities (meetings, incentives, conferencing, exhibitions).

The investment for the creation of the resort totals approx. €550m. According to ICR (Integrated Casino Resort Cyprus), the Resort will also create an estimated 4,000 local job opportunities during the construction phase and approx. 2,500 permanent jobs once it is fully operational. After the second year of operation, the Integrated Casino-Resort is expected to contribute approx. €700 million per year to the Cypriot economy, amounting to around 4 % of the country’s annual GDP.

City of Dreams Mediterranean is a large-scale pioneer project that will drastically and dramatically change the entertainment and the tourism industry of both Cyprus and Europe.

PAGCOR (Philippines Amusement and Gaming Corporation) recently revealed that they have already submitted to IATF(Inter-Agency Task Force) for Covid19 for approval to resume land-based gaming operations nationwide.

PAGCOR has submitted the request last month which includes the proposed safety guidelines operators have agreed to follow.

Guidelines include the wearing of facemasks at all times while inside establishments, strict compliance to social distancing at all times, limiting casino operations to no more than 50% capacity both on table games and EGMs, and preventing standing bettors or people loitering in gaming areas.

The possible date for re-opening is June 16 when GCQ restrictions come under further review.

Okada has been active in cleaning its facilities for the past few weeks. A new task force was created to lead the operation.

Okada’s Facebook page has been actively promoting its measures for its employees.

Regular disinfection of:
– items and equipment that are regularly used by team members
– specific staff to protect them during the course of their duties
– of delivery areas after items are dropped off

No official announcement has been made for patrons of the casino but it will most likely follow PAGCOR guideline.

Pokerstars is housed at Okada Complex and no word has been issued when they will resume operations. Before the casino closed due to the lockdown, Pokerstars had a bad beat jackpot of 7,400,000 PHP(roughly 148,000USD base on 50PHP exchange rate). The biggest bad beat jackpot in Manila. We are awaiting a further announcements on their re-opening.

City of Dreams Manila is the most active and caring in the gaming industry especially to its own staff. Higher management taking cuts to help the staff and flying Filipinos back to Manila that was working in Macau. On top of the donations, they have given to PAGCOR to help fight this pandemic.

Some of the measure they will implement are Thermal screening, sanitation mats, mandatory use of face masks by Employees and guests, and the provision of hand sanitizers in all entrances and high traffic areas in both public and at heart-of-house are among the sanitation and prevention standards being enforced under the new normal.

Physical distancing guidelines are being put in place in the gaming areas. A maximum of three players will be allowed per table. Gaming tables and slot machines have already been reconfigured and are set apart by at least one meter.

Currently, there are no poker activities in the casino. However, before the lockdown tables were seen in the 2nd-floor gaming area with the PokerKing Label.

Will PokerKing open in the City of Dreams Manila? How will the new measure affect their operations? We will update as soon as there are official infos.

Metrocard Club is the biggest poker house in Manila. Poker houses are separated from poker rooms as Poker houses are not inside the casino complex.

If there will be any leader in terms of re-opening of poker in Manila. it would have to come from Metro.

As an independent operator. the rake is not shared with the casino. Which is very important to note. Casinos do not earn as much from poker compared to other tables games.

Casinos might not want to open its poker operations yet as poker is a game where players are huddled together.

MetroCard Club is the only poker house(excluding poker rooms as they are part of the casino) in Manila that you can expect to maintain a standard in ensuring players’ safety.

The standard might be the transparent divider place on the table. However, a few things that players should note that some of the important things we are taking into account.

– Air quality
– bathroom Sanitation

City Of Dreams Manila

Before the pandemic. only 2 poker houses in Manila have a decent air condition and bathroom facility. Metrocard Club being the older poker house might become the leader in setting the standard that other poker rooms will need to follow.

City Of Dreams Casino Manila

No updates on the Metrocard club on when they plan to re-open. However, Metrocard club definitely the one to monitor.