
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 engaged in graft, he’ll likely pursue the ousted gaming officials to your fullest degree of the legislation ( or maybe a tad bit more).
Saycon is no ordained religious leader, but the secretary-general of the Council of Philippine Affairs. He’s apparently supplied documents to Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre that shows PAGCOR participating in bribery along with other illegal practices. The allegations stem from before President Rodrigo Duterte took workplace.
Though Aguirre allow media outlets in the Southeast Asian nation understand he refused to name names in the report or expand on the potential crimes that he indeed had been delivered documents detailing potential illicit activity. ‘I shall still need certainly to learn the documents,’ Aguirre explained.
However, in accordance with the Philippine frequent Inquirer, high-level officials in 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 nation in July, Duterte replaced the board that is five-member their very own appointees.
Duterte Duty
PAGCOR operates its very own state-run casinos and slot machine clubs in major towns and cities through 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 that is been accused of violating peoples rights 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 into the PAGCOR investigation.
Last fall, the elected president started up a corruption texting hotline. But what seemed like a noble cause came having a Duterte twist: the complaints, regardless of their merit, are aired on a government-run general public access television station for all to read.
‘All you need to do is text what office, whether local or nationwide, who is the state causing the (crime),’ Duterte explained last autumn. ‘ There is no presssing problem against me in regards to graft and corruption. Women, yes, but money, no.’
Charges for public officials engaging in corruption are severe in the Philippines. A number of charges come with imprisonment sentences of up to 10 years each.
The Pastor Just What?
Pastor Boy Saycon is a longtime political operative who has worked on various campaigns and issues.
Today, the 66-year-old is reportedly one of Duterte’s closest allies, and is working to unearth corruption that the president so dearly wishes to destroy.
Saycon came into Duterte’s favor when he produced allegations of voter fraudulence during last May’s election. The secretary-general stated he was told by a witness 200,000 votes in the Quezon Province were counted for Liberal Party candidate Mar Roxas rather of correctly recorded for the newly elected president.
The alleged fraud didn’t impact Duterte’s landslide triumph. He received 39 % regarding 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 Story
The NCAA males’s basketball tournament is underway with the first round tipping off on Thursday evening at four locations in the united states. And in Las Vegas, the sportsbooks are using bets on every game that is single.
Crowds are packing in Las Vegas sportsbooks for March Madness, and without having a clear favorite, the NCAA tournament is shaping up to be always 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 down their bracket predictions, and also this year casinos say they’re experiencing a rise in betting thanks to the tight competition at the utmost effective and no genuine clear-cut favorite to win the title.
Throughout the Strip, sportsbook directors are reporting higher than normal action that is betting.
‘It’s surely been the busiest out of the final three years,’ Frank Kunovic, the director of specialty games at Caesars Entertainment told the nevada Sun. ‘We’re sold away,’ he said referencing their sportsbook watching parties. ‘In reality, everything’s offered away. It is been really, very busy.’
No Favorite, Not A 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 I championship, but has since expanded to 7-1.
Defending champion Villanova may be the top overall seed, but publications place them at around 8-1 to repeat. The Wildcats showed some holes within 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 during the Westgate, as bettors are taking the Tar Heels. They are had by the SuperBook at 5-1.
Kansas, another usual suspect for a deep March Madness run, are 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 with the capacity of reducing nets at the last Four, Vegas sportsbooks see no signs of slowing because the action that is round-robin.
‘ 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. No matter what the law, nearly $10.4 billion will be wagered through overseas websites and bookies that are underground.
The action that is legal however, is predominantly into https://myfreepokies.com/aristocrat-pokies/ the Silver State. Countless events are scheduled throughout the month in Vegas, and sportsbooks and casino theaters have been made over to cater to basketball fans.
Viewing parties, drink and food specials, and a host of entertainment are typical on tap for this weekend. But with an influx of site 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 the bar chair. a table that is four-person at $750.
For the more Vegas that is budget-conscious visitor Fremont is always the place to go. The El Cortez has $2 products and $2 hot dogs, plus free admission.
Asian-Focused Dragon that is lucky Casino Big on VIP Gamblers
The Lucky Dragon Hotel & Casino in nevada is the first resort that’s truly focused on the Asian visitor. And four months since the venue opened its doorways, the online marketing strategy is apparently paying down.
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 Lucky Dragon recently announced modifications to its property that will generate more gaming space for VIP players. The next floor’s highly popular Pearl Ocean restaurant will replace the Asian-themed meals court on the first floor. The footage that is square the second floor will be 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 rewards scheme will give rollers that are high portion of the wagers right back, regardless of whether they win or lose at the tables. The system requires an upfront bankroll buy-in of at minimum $10,000.
‘Our current VIP business has a significance of the extra 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.
With just 203 hotel spaces and a video gaming flooring that covers significantly less than 30,000 square feet, the fortunate Dragon is relatively small compared to the Strip’s major players. However the latest newcomer to Vegas is causing quite a 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 area where gambling is allowed, nearby Asian countries want to become the new destination for the high rollers.
Over 6,000 kilometers away, could the Dragon that is lucky also within the mix? The company says California and the Pacific Northwest is a hotbed for Asian cultures, and those residents are now coming to Vegas because of its themed resort. But signs appear to recommend the casino is also pursuing China.
Hainan Airlines has begun its nonstop service that is daily 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. However the financials from Lucky Dragon could be reason enough for the Malaysian-based company to finally go ahead aided by 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 business’s decreased investment power that is global.
The massive construction undertaking is prone to be scaled back, but Genting professionals were recently in Vegas seeking the blessing associated with city’s zoning commission to progress with the project. Genting is expected to discharge 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 rebranding that is complete.
The Asian casino giant will drop the ‘Crown’ from its English moniker and has proposed renaming itself ‘Melco Resorts & Entertainment,’ once the 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 China. (Image: BBC)
Packer and Crown selected to reduce investment exposure to Macau and also the Chinese market last year by selling over $1 billion of its shares back in to the business, dropping its stake from 34 percent to 11.2 % and ceding the controlling stake to Macau casino mogul Lawrence Ho.
Melco Crown was created in 2005 as a joint venture between Crown and Ho’s Melco Global Development, to produce and operate ambitious location casino resorts in Macau, such as the City of desires and, now, Studio City.
Arrests Changed Everything
But the arrest, in October, of 18 Crown Resorts staff in China on suspicion of advertising its casinos to VIPs that are chinese caused Crown to rethink its strategy in your community.
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 different situation now … because of what happened in China and we’re waiting to see how that plays out before we resume conventional marketing in the region. We’re in a holding pattern,’ said Crown’s brand new CEO, John Alexander, during a profits call last month.
New Identification
Melco Crown, meanwhile, has stated it plans to unveil a completely new corporate identity before the end of the year.
‘With Melco [International] and Lawrence taking bulk shares now, many of us are thrilled and getting excited about a new corporate entity unveiling this new chapter regarding the company and reflecting the new energy as well,’ Melco Crown’s senior vice president of corporate communications and pr, Maggie Ma, told GGRAsia, it still too soon to disclose any further details although she added.
According to a filing to the Securities and Exchange Commission, Crown Resorts will be entitled to payment if Melco were to retain the Crown title at its casinos.
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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