The casino sector in the Philippines is one of the fastest-growing parts of the Filipino economy. Philippines casinos are popular with locals, but it is tourists who increasingly form the mainstay of most casinos’ clientele. Traditionally, most casinos in the Philippines have been licensed through a state-run company called PAGCOR, but recent liberalization of the rules has allowed private firms to open up casino ventures of their own, encouraged by the growing popularity of gambling in the country.
The largest concentration of Philippines casinos can be found, unsurprisingly, in the capital of the Philippines, Manila. Manila casinos are the biggest and most popular in the country, attracting thousands of visitors every year, many of them travelers from abroad. The capital is very popular with tourists from neighboring East Asian countries, but also further afield, including the USA and Europe. Consequently, casinos are a natural magnet for visitors wanting to relax in what can sometimes be a very crowded and busy city, with a varied and thriving nightlife scene. Manila casinos are famous for their relaxed ambience, and socializing is viewed as being almost as...