The Public Prosecutors office in the Philippines has refused to prosecute Kazuo Okada on three complaints that he and four others falsified documents. The office stated there was no probable cause to charge Okada or four others, after it investigated the claims.
The saga of Okada – who famously referred to himself as Daddy O’ in a letter to employees – and his forced occupation of Okada Malila has made headlines in the industry, as he’s currently in a legal battle with his son Tomohiro for control of the casino resort. Tomohiro Okada claims ownership of Okada Manila lies with Okada Holdings, which he owns 53.27% of, a claim currently contested in the Philippines Supreme Court.
Mohegan Gaming's South Korean resort remains on track for a 2023 launch
US tribal gaming operator Mohegan Gaming & Entertainment has reiterated that its $1.6bn South Korean casino resort will still open in 2023, despite significant rising costs and supply issues.
Mohegan CEO Ray Pineault spoke of the development while announcing Mohegan’s Q2 results, saying: “Obviously there is a challenging environment when you think about the supply chain issues. It’s something we are in constant contact with our general contractor in monitoring our pre-opening expenses and we continue to look at ways to make sure we keep that project on track and on budget.”
Resorts World Sentosa sees the positives in H1 loss
The Resorts World Sentosa (RWS) casino complex in Singapore has announced a drop in H1 profits, which fell to SGD$84.4m (US$61.3m) – 4% off 2021. However, Genting Singapore – which owns the RWS – saw its gaming arm actually grow 7% in the first 6 months of 2022.
The operator has pinned the rebound on pent-up demand for gaming and integrated resort offerings, which are driven by international tourism, coming as a result of the opening up of Singapore’s borders to other countries.
“Obviously there is a challenging environment when you think about the supply chain issues. It’s something we are in constant contact with our general contractor in monitoring our pre-opening expenses, and we continue to look at ways to make sure we keep that project on track and on budget” Mohegan CEO Ray Pineault
Employee numbers begin to slide in Macau
The amount of people employed in the Chinese gambling hub of Macau has begun to slide, according to latest statistics. The numbers show a 4% drop in people working in the gaming industry in the city – something which is likely caused by the increasing strain on casinos and operators in the city, as lockdowns continue to play havoc.
The figures come from Macau’s Statistics and Census Service, which also revealed the gaming industry in the city made up 19.1% of local employment – a drop of 0.5% on 2021 – as well as the number of under-employed people rising by 5,100 since the quarterly report last year, now sitting at 15,700.
Earlier this week, the Gambling Insider team debated whether now is the time to invest in Macau, although 67% of our voters on LinkedIn voted in favour 'no!'
