Manila Bay Casino

Defunct casino in Manila Bay, Philippines

Location Manila Bay, Philippines

Opening date1977 (1977)

Closing date1979 (1979)

Casino typeFloating casino

Manila Bay Casino
Location	Manila Bay, Philippines
Opening date	1977 (1977)
Closing date	1979 (1979)
Casino type	Floating casino
Owner	Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation

The Manila Bay Casino was a casino situated off Manila Bay. Described as a "floating casino" it was hosted on the MS Philippine Tourist.

The Manila Bay Casino was established by state-owned enterprise Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) during the Martial Law era under president Ferdinand Marcos. It is the first ever casino of PAGCOR.^[1]^[2]

PAGCOR entered a contract with the Philippine Casino Operators Corporation (PCOC) on July 5, 1977, for the operation of a floating casino off Manila Bay.^[3] Manila Bay Enterprises Inc. which was majority owned by Macanese firm SJM Holdings of Stanley Ho was also involved in the project.^[1]

The casino operated on all three decks of the marine vessel MS Philippine Tourist.^[4]

The ship was gutted by fire in 1979.^[2] Arson by the Light-A-Fire Movement was alleged.^[5]^[6]^[7]

Failed revival

Stanley Ho proposed another floating casino during the administration of president Joseph Estrada. He acquired the Jumbo Kingdom floating restaurant from Hong Kong to towed it to the dock at Manila Bay near the Cultural Center of the Philippines Complex for the purpose of a new casino. The casino never went operational and was moored in Manila Bay.^[8]^[9]

References

1 2 "Stanley Ho, Macau gambling king, 98". The Philippine Star. Agence France-Presse. May 27, 2020. Retrieved January 4, 2025.
1 2 Caña, Paul John (December 6, 2023). "Home of Beauties, Long Abandoned: Here's the Story of the Philippine Village Hotel". Esquiremag.ph. Retrieved January 4, 2025.
↑ "G.R. No. 132929 - Commissioner of Customs vs Court of Appeals and Philippine Casino Operators Corporation (PCOC)". The LawPhil Project. Supreme Court of the Philippines Second Division. March 27, 2000. Retrieved January 4, 2025.
↑ Mathews, Jay; Wideman, Bernard (September 17, 1978). "Marcos' Friends Said to Profit From Casinos". Retrieved January 4, 2025. The original 5,000-ton Manila vessel, dubbed the "Philippine Tourist," was purchased in late 1975 in Oslo for about $4 million
↑ "No more call to privatize Pagcor". The Manila Times. March 5, 2012. Retrieved January 4, 2025.
↑ "Manila Publisher, Others On Trial for 'Subversion'". Washington Post. June 22, 1980. Retrieved January 4, 2025. A floating casino in Manila Bay and one hotel were completely destroyed last year
↑ "Fire engulfed a hotel in Manila's tourist district before... - UPI Archives". UPI. November 8, 1984. Retrieved January 4, 2025.
↑ Yu, Doreen. "The Jumbo: Resto or casino?". The Philippine Star. Retrieved January 4, 2025.
↑ Diaz, Jess (March 29, 2005). "Stanley Ho to open floating casino?". The Philippine Star. Retrieved January 4, 2025.

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