The Suncity Casino Resort in Manila, Philippines is Now in Doubt

 

The opening of the Suncity casino resort in Manila, Philippines is now in doubt after an arrest warrant issued by Chinese authorities was revealed. The arrest warrant was issued for the company's boss Alvin Chau Cheok Wa. He was accused of being part of an illegal gambling outfit in China, and has been under house arrest. In addition to Chau, another executive of Suncity, Zhang Ningning, is also under investigation for her involvement in the illegal online gambling industry.

Despite the recent arrest of Chau, the casino remains open. The head of the Suncity Group, Alvin Chau Cheok Wa, and 10 other executives have been charged in the case. The arrest was made because the company is suspected of lending money to gamblers. The operation was allegedly based in Macau, but most transactions were done through an underground bank in the Philippines. GGRAsia has been in touch with the PRC and is monitoring the situation. 

The arrest warrant also affects the casino group's plans in the Philippines. Megawide, which owns the Suncity properties, has not yet responded to requests for comment. However, the company is not yet closing the casino resort. Earlier, it had also suspended its operations in several other MGM properties. It is not clear if these will be impacted by the arrest. The company is resuming operations at its other properties, including its flagship resort in Manila.

The casino group is one of the candidates for a Macau gambling license in 2022. It hoped to receive the license as the current authorizations expire and subsequently acquire two more. The chances of Suncity losing its chance to be a Macau licensee were dramatically lowered after the Xinhua report. The report implied that Suncity Group was actively promoting online gambling outside of China's territory. The result? The casino operator was barred from the prestigious title and has had to close.

Despite the ban, the casino operator is still facing a huge lawsuit. The legality of this action in Macau has been questioned. While gambling is illegal in China, the Suncity casino has had a long-term relationship with the PRC government. The arrest warrant, however, carries the name of the owner of the property. It is also the first casino in Macau to open in China. The monopoly in this country is not a new one for Hong Kong.

The casino was also opened in Malaysia. There are other casinos in Malaysia, but the only one in South Africa is located in Singapore. The Suncity Group also holds a stake in a US$1 billion hotel project in the city. In addition to the casino, the company has a 5-star hotel complex in the Philippines that is expected to attract millions of tourists every year. The property is one of the most popular destinations in South Africa, so it's no wonder the city is a major destination for tourists.