PAGCOR, the Philippines Amusement and Gaming Corporation, is being accused of corruption after Pastor Boy Saycon turned over evidence to the country’s Department of Justice.
If Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte is convinced former PAGCOR officials involved in graft, he’ll likely pursue the ousted gaming officials to your fullest degree of the law ( or maybe a little more).
Saycon is no ordained leader that is religious but the secretary-general of the Council of Philippine Affairs. He’s apparently provided documents to Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre that shows PAGCOR participating in bribery along with other unlawful practices. The allegations stem from before President Rodrigo Duterte took office.
Though Aguirre allow news outlets in the Southeast Asian country understand that he certainly had been delivered documents detailing potential illicit task, he declined to name names within the report or expand on the potential crimes. ‚I shall nevertheless have to learn the documents,‘ Aguirre explained.
However, in accordance with the Philippine frequent Inquirer, high-level officials within the administration that is prior to properly disclose contributions and expenditures.
PAGCOR is a federal agency that is under the president’s oversight. Upon taking control of the united states in July, Duterte replaced the five-member board with his very own appointees.
Duterte Duty
PAGCOR operates a unique state-run casinos and slot machine groups in major towns throughout the Philippines. A premier gaming and entertainment destination in Southeast Asia by 2020 though Duterte began his administration by announcing an all-out war on illegal drugs and gambling, as well as licensed internet gambling operator PhilWeb, he’s now instructed PAGCOR to make the country.
But the president that is controversial who is been accused of violating individual liberties for his ‚death squad‘ law enforcement and ’shoot first, ask questions later‘ approach, Duterte remains focused on eliminating corruption. That doesn’t bode well for whoever might be named in the PAGCOR investigation.
Last fall, the president started up a corruption texting hotline. But what seemed like a noble cause came with a Duterte twist: the complaints, regardless of their merit, are aired on a government-run general public access television station for many to read.
‚All you should do is text what office, whether neighborhood or nationwide, that is the official causing the (crime),‘ Duterte explained fall that is last. ‚ There is no issue against me in regards to graft and corruption. Women, yes, but money, no.‘
Penalties for public officials engaging in corruption are severe within the Philippines. A host of charges come with imprisonment sentences as high as ten years each.
The Pastor What?
Pastor Boy Saycon is a longtime operative that is political has worked on various campaigns and issues.
Today, the 66-year-old is reportedly certainly one of Duterte’s closest allies, and is working to unearth corruption that the president therefore dearly wishes to destroy.
Saycon came into Duterte’s favor whenever he produced allegations of voter fraudulence during last May’s election. The secretary-general stated a witness told him 200,000 votes in the Quezon Province were counted for Liberal Party candidate Mar Roxas rather of precisely recorded for the newly elected president.
The alleged fraud didn’t impact Duterte’s landslide success. He received 39 per cent associated with the vote to Roxas‘ 23.5 percent and candidate that is independent Poe in third with 21.4 percent.
With No Clear NCAA Favorite, Vegas Sportsbooks Writing Bountiful 2017 March Madness Tale
The NCAA guys’s basketball tournament is underway with the round that is first off on Thursday night at four locations across the country. And in Las Vegas, the sportsbooks are using bets on every solitary game.
Crowds are packing in vegas sportsbooks for March Madness, and with no favorite that is clear the NCAA tournament is shaping up to be a strong year for oddsmakers. (Image: Bizuayehu Tesfaye/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
An influx of bettors descend on the Mojave Desert each March in hopes of capitalizing off their bracket predictions, and also this 12 months casinos say they’re experiencing a rise in betting thanks to the competition that is tight the most effective with no genuine clear-cut favorite to win the title.
Across the Strip, sportsbook directors are reporting higher than normal action that is betting.
‚It’s definitely been the busiest out of the past three years,‘ Frank Kunovic, the director of specialty games at Caesars Entertainment told the Las Vegas Sun. ‚We’re sold out,‘ he said referencing his sportsbook viewing parties. ‚In fact, everything’s sold out. It is been really, very busy.‘
No Favorite, No Problem
Entering the tournament, Duke had been a popular pick among recreations bettors despite their No. 2 seed. The Westgate SuperBook put the Blue Devils at 5-1 to deliver coach Mike Krzyzewski his sixth NCAA Division we championship, but has since grew to 7-1.
Defending champion Villanova may be the top seed that is overall but books place them at around 8-1 to repeat. The Wildcats showed some holes into the half that is first No. 16 Mount St. Mary’s, but played nicely in the second to win by 20.
North Carolina has emerged as the favourite at the Westgate, as bettors are using the Tar Heels. They are had by the SuperBook at 5-1.
Kansas, another usual suspect for a deep March Madness run, is at 6-1. Gonzaga has odds of 9-1, followed by Kentucky and Arizona (10-1), and UCLA and Louisville (15-1).
With a slew of programs more than effective at lowering nets at the last Four, Vegas sportsbooks see no signs of slowing once the round-robin action continues.
‚ The money’s spread out all over the place,‘ Stratosphere sportsbook director Ed Malinowski told ESPN.
Main Court Tickets
The nucleus of the tournament is Las Vegas while the college basketball games are happening across the country, and the Final Four will be contested at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Arizona.
Sports betting is limited to Nevada as a result of the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) passed in 1992. Regardless of law, almost $10.4 billion will be wagered through overseas websites and underground bookies.
The legal action, however, is predominantly in the Silver State. Countless parties are scheduled throughout the thirty days in Vegas, and sportsbooks and casino theaters have been made over to appeal to basketball fans.
Watching parties, drink and food specials, and a host of entertainment are on tap because of this weekend. But with an influx of site myfreepokies.com visitors, some seats are coming at a price that is costly.
For example, the ‚Hoops Mayhem‘ special at Caesars Palace’s Vista Cocktail Lounge requires a $150 per person minimum for a bar chair. a table that is four-person at $750.
For the more budget-conscious Las vegas visitor, Fremont is constantly the place to get. The El Cortez has $2 products and $2 hot dogs, plus admission that is free.
Asian-Focused Lucky Dragon Casino Bets Big on VIP Gamblers
The Lucky Dragon Hotel & Casino in vegas is the first resort that is truly concentrated on the visitor that is asian. And four months since the venue opened its doors, the online strategy is reportedly paying off.
The lucky Dragon’s marketing campaign to Asian visitors appears to be working from dim sum restaurants and game offerings like baccarat and pai gow. (Image: Lucky Dragon)
The Dragon that is lucky recently modifications to its property that will create more gaming space for VIP players. The 2nd floor’s very popular Pearl Ocean restaurant will replace the Asian-themed meals court on the first floor. The square footage on the second floor will become a VIP gaming lounge resembling those in Macau.
The resort is additionally implementing a ‚rolling chip‘ program for VIP gamblers. Similar to Macau, the loyalty benefits scheme will offer rollers that are high portion of these wagers back, no matter whether they win or lose during the tables. The system requires an upfront bankroll buy-in of at minimum $10,000.
‚Our present VIP company has a dependence on the additional area. We might have changed that from the beginning, but that’s not a bad thing to have happen,‘ Lucky Dragon VP of Marketing Jordan Seager told the Las Vegas Sun if we had anticipated that six months prior.
The lucky Dragon is relatively small compared to the Strip’s major players with just 203 hotel rooms and a gaming floor that covers less than 30,000 square feet. But the latest newcomer to Vegas is certainly causing a serious stir.
Targeting China
China has been cracking down on the VIP segment in Macau for the last two years. And while revenue has stabilized in the Special Administrative Region where gambling is allowed, nearby Asian countries are attempting to become the new destination for the high rollers.
Over 6,000 kilometers away, could the Dragon that is lucky also into the mix? The business says Ca and the Pacific Northwest is a hotbed for Asian cultures, and those residents are now coming to Las Vegas for its themed resort. But signs seem to suggest the casino is also seeking China.
Hainan Airlines has started its nonstop daily service from Beijing to McCarran International in hopes of bringing the middle class to Sin City. The Lucky Dragon offers a spa, indoor-outdoor Cha Garden equipped with a tea sommelier, five Asian-inspired restaurants, and guest service members fluent in a variety of Asian languages in addition to Asian-focused gaming with plenty of baccarat and pai gow.
Resorts World Kickstarter
No, the Genting Group’s proposed $7 billion Resorts World property on the Strip isn’t petitioning donations online. But the financials from Lucky Dragon may be reason enough for the Malaysian-based company to finally go forward utilizing the project.
Resorts World is the theorized 6,583-room resort with a gaming floor that is 175,000-square-foot. The Asian-themed concept has been delayed one year after another, as Genting has cited falling currency for the reason behind the company’s decreased investment power that is global.
The massive construction undertaking is likely to be scaled back once again, but Genting executives were recently in Vegas seeking the blessing associated with city’s zoning commission to move forward with the project. Genting is expected to release a blueprint that is new the acreage in April.
Melco Crown to Change Its Name as It Seeks Post-Crown Identity
Melco Crown Entertainment gets a name change and a complete rebranding.
The Asian casino giant will drop the ‚Crown‘ from its English moniker and has proposed renaming itself ‚Melco Resorts & Entertainment,‘ due to the fact company, much like Mariah Carey, contemplates a life without James Packer.
James Packer’s Crown Resorts considerably reduced its stake in Melco Crown last year, as it sought to cut back its investment exposure to Asia. (Image: BBC)
Packer and Crown chose to reduce investment publicity to Macau therefore the market that is chinese year by selling over $1 billion of its shares back again to the company, dropping its stake from 34 percent to 11.2 % and ceding the controlling stake to Macau casino mogul Lawrence Ho.
Melco Crown was formed in 2005 as being a venture that is joint Crown and Ho’s Melco Global developing, to produce and operate committed location casino resorts in Macau, such as the City of Dreams and, recently, Studio City.
Arrests everything that is changed
But the arrest, in October, of 18 Crown Resorts staff in China on suspicion of advertising its casinos to Chinese VIPs has caused Crown to rethink its strategy in the area.
The arrests, as well as Beijing’s revenue-denting anti-corruption drive, has caused the Australian casino giant to refocus its ambitions on projects closer to home while three or four years ago, Packer was intent on expanding throughout Asia.
‚we are in a situation that is different … because of what happened in China and we are waiting to observe how that plays out before we resume conventional marketing in the region. We’re in a holding pattern,‘ said Crown’s new CEO, John Alexander, during an earnings call month that is last.
New Identification
Melco Crown, meanwhile, has said it plans to unveil an entirely new corporate identity before the end of the season.
‚With Melco [International] and Lawrence taking majority shares now, we are all thrilled and looking towards a new corporate entity unveiling this brand new chapter of the company and reflecting the new energy as well,‘ Melco Crown’s senior vice president of business communications and advertising, Maggie Ma, told GGRAsia, although she added it still too early to disclose any further details.
Based on a filing to the Securities and Exchange Commission, Crown Resorts is eligible to payment if Melco were to retain the Crown name at its gambling enterprises.
Melco Crown is scheduled to hold an AGM at the City of Dreams home on March 29, of which shareholders is expected to vote on the renaming proposal.
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