New Manila casino opens its doors to the public

Winford Hotel and Casino officially opened its doors to the public late last week in Manila, Philippines following the hotel's soft opening in January.

The PHP8bn ($160.9m) 128 room casino resort will include a Japanese-style spa, a heated pool, a fitness area, a bar with concert stage and several restaurants.

Its main three-level casino includes capacity for 600 slot machines, 110 gaming tables, a floor dedicated to VIP gaming, and an Asia Poker Tour-branded poker room. The resort is located in San Lazaro Tourism and Business Park (SLTBP) in Manila.

Alfonso Reyno III, President of the Manila Jockey Club who are the owners of the development told the BusinessMirror: “We want our audience to make Winford Hotel and Casino their own - a place of refuge and one that offers an escape from the busy life that surrounds the Greater Chinatown area.

“We really have a lot to offer both local and foreign tourists. We’re here to do our share to make this dream a reality.”

Andrea D. Domingo, Chairman of Pagcor (the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp, the country's regulator) welcomed the casino opening: “I’m so very happy to see the [Manila Jockey Club] is truthfully adhering to the new policy of Pagcor, which is to encourage integrated resort casinos, rather than just concentrate on gaming or on the casino portion.”