Gold99 | Addressing recent media speculation, Galaxy Entertainment has categorically dismissed any claims that DiGiPlus Interactive Group, a Philippines-based company formerly known as Leisure & Resorts World Corp, and now rebranded as DiGiPlus Interactive Group, has reached out to request a revival of their casino partnership. Their aim is to secure authorization for constructing and managing a casino resort on the picturesque island of Boracay. Galaxy representatives have emphatically stated that these speculations hold no validity.
Galaxy Entertainment Group would like to affirm that, in contrast to certain recent media accounts, we have no intentions of reengaging with the Boracay project in the Philippines for resort development. An investor relations statement elaborated, “Our current priority lies in the complete reopening of Macau, the expansion of our recently introduced Phase 3 at Galaxy Macau, and the progress of construction for Galaxy Macau Phase 4.”
Galaxy holds one of the six authorized casino licenses in Macau, which is a Special Administrative Region within the People’s Republic of China.
Gold99 | Boracay’s Background
Back in 2017, Galaxy, in collaboration with what was then known as Leisure & Resorts World Corp., disclosed their joint venture to pursue a $550 million casino resort on the beautiful island of Boracay.
This small island situated in the Western Visayas region had long been celebrated for its immaculate white sandy shores and pristine blue waters. However, in more recent years, a lack of proper sanitation infrastructure led to the island’s contamination with waste and human waste.
Shortly after the Galaxy-Leisure partnership unveiled their intentions to introduce a casino to this renowned vacation destination, the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) granted them a provisional license for the venture. It was at this juncture that the then-President, Rodrigo Duterte, intervened.
Labeling Boracay as a “cesspool” with a pervasive odor problem, President Duterte ordered the island’s closure in 2018 for a six-month-long cleanup operation. Simultaneously, he put a halt to the Galaxy-Leisure casino project.
Duterte, whose six-year presidency concluded last year, asserted that the residents of Boracay did not desire a casino, and consequently, gambling activities would not be permitted.
He stated, “The voice of the people is the voice of God. If the island’s population wishes to abstain from having a casino, then there shall be no casino.”
He made it clear when he remarked, “Do you know the billionaires? They wish to construct casinos on the island. I did not grant permission for it,” seemingly alluding to Galaxy billionaire Lui Che Woo.
Duterte’s stance on the country’s commercial gaming interests was a complex one. While he initially opposed gambling due to moral concerns and vowed to divest the state-owned Casino Filipino properties, the president eventually shifted his position to endorse the gaming industry. His rationale was that gaming taxes played a crucial role in safeguarding national and economic security.
Galaxy’s Operations
Galaxy Entertainment, headquartered in Hong Kong, primarily centers its operations in Macau. This involves three integrated casino resorts, namely Galaxy Macau and Broadway Macau on the Cotai Strip, and StarWorld Macau situated on the Macau Peninsula.
In addition, Galaxy also maintains a 4.99% ownership in Monte Carlo SBM, a French company specializing in casinos and hospitality.
In conjunction with its renowned Casino de Monte-Carlo in Monaco, located on the French Riviera, Monte Carlo SBM operates the Casino Café de Paris. Furthermore, the company oversees the management of five upscale hotels across France, along with a total of 25 restaurants and bars, including four Michelin-starred establishments.
