Clark Special Economic Zone
Clark Special Economic Zone ( CSEZ ), more commonly known as Clark , is located in Pampanga Province , about 60 miles north of central Manila . Comprised of nearly 80,000 acres , Clark was at one time the United States ’ largest overseas military base . The U . S . military withdrew in 1991 , following the eruption of Mount Pinatubo , and subsequently returned the land to the Philippine government , which in turn passed legislation that made it a special economic zone .
The centerpiece of CSEZ is Clark International Airport , formerly Clark Air Base . With Manila ’ s international airport operating at capacity and unable to expand further , Clark International Airport is expected to grow exponentially in the coming decade . The first of four new terminals opened in 2022 with the remaining three to be completed by the end of the decade . Potential annual passenger capacity is forecasted to exceed 100 million . In addition to the airport ’ s expansion , a new four-lane highway now connects Clark to the National Capital Region ( NCR ), and a high-speed passenger rail system is currently under construction .
Today , Clark ’ s casinos are rapidly adding lodging and gaming capacity . Hann Casino Resort recently added a hotel tower under the Marriott flag and completed another substantial expansion of its gaming space . Royce Hotel and Casino also completed a major expansion . It recently opened 300,000 square feet of gaming space , capable of accommodating 150 table games and 1,500 slots .
Joe Pisano , CEO of JADE Entertainment and Gaming Technologies Inc ., which has been a service provider and product distributor to casinos in Clark since 2009 , predicts that Clark could see a total of 12 casinos by 2030 .
Although plagued by often-illegal operations and even slavery , the Philippine Online Gaming Operations ( POGOs ) continue to operate because they spin off too much tax revenue for the government
The Junket Market
Macau ’ s decision to further restrict junket play will no doubt benefit the casino resorts in Clark and Entertainment City . Collectively , these operators have built stunning facilities to meet the needs of junket promoters and their customers in the form of private gaming rooms , lavish hotel suites , and world-class dining . They also have the added advantage of offering more favorable commission structures to junket promoters than Macau casinos .
As junket promoters seek safer harbors to conduct business , they will no doubt shift a sizable portion of their business to the casinos in the Philippines .
POGOs
The Philippines has long had a robust online gaming sector . Philippine Online Gaming Operations ( POGOs ) are casinos housed in studios that feature live dealers who conduct games of chance in front of video cameras . Players from other countries can log onto an online casino and select a dealer / table where they would like to play . With an established account , they can then place wagers and observe the outcome of games on their mobile devices or computers .
Up until 2016 , these gaming studios were located within special economic zones including the Cagayan Special Economic Zone Authority , the Aurora Pacific Economic Zone and Freeport Authority , and the Authority of the Freeport Area of Bataan .
Under an edict issued by then-President Rodrigo Duterte in 2016 , PAGCOR was given the authority to regulate live dealer / online operations . Subsequently , the oversight of a vast majority of those gaming providers
Macau is being challenged by the Philippines as the capital of Asian gaming