Quezon City Mayor Prohibits Govt Workers from Solaire North Casino

Solaire Resort North is a new integrated resort that is expected to offer world-class gaming, entertainment and hospitality. The resort, located in Quezon City, Philippines is expected to open for visitors on Saturday, May 25, 2024.

Ahead of the opening of Solaire Resort North casino the city’s mayor confirmed that all city hall employees and officials won’t be permitted to gamble at the new venue. This became clear after an announcement from Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte.

As confirmed by the Manila Standard, Belmonte recently participated in the 1st International Conference on Responsible Gambling and Gaming Addiction. The event took place earlier this week at the Novotel Araneta in Cubao, Quezon City.

During the event, Belmonte confirmed that the local government actively collaborated with Solaire Resort North to provide photographs of each city hall officials and employees. Those photographs, the Mayor said, will be used by a complex system at the venue that will help prevent city employees from accessing the casino floor.

Belmonte confirmed that the system will detect city employees, who if trying to access the casino will be redirected. She added that attempts to wear apparel such as hats, masks or even a wig are unlikely to be successful, considering the sophistication of the system. Still, Belmonte explained that Quezon City employees will be permitted to use the hotel, dining outlets and entertainment amenities, which means that only gambling will be off-limits for them.

“Even if one wears a wig, a mask or a hat, one’s face can still be detected using a very sophisticated system. We will not embarrass anyone here.“

Joy Belmonte, Mayor of Quezon City

Nearly 20K City Employees Won’t Be Allowed to Gamble

The ban would affect approximately 19,000 city employees, who would not be permitted to gamble at the casino that is expected to open in days. This is a small fraction of the city’s population which surpasses 3 million people.

Unlike countries across Asia, where gambling is permitted to foreigners only, the Philippines doesn’t have such tough regulations. Yet, concerns about a potential increase in problem gambling, amid the growing popularity of such activities, continue to rise. To make matters worse, different gambling activities are a part of the country’s culture which further exacerbates the risks of gambling harm.

Solaire Resort North, which is expected to open its doors for visitors in a couple of days, is expected to deliver world-class entertainment thanks to more than 160 live dealer table games. Additionally, the casino would offer more than 2,600 slot machines with the gaming floor spanning four levels.

The massive project represents the second resort for Bloomberry Resorts in the area. Ultimately, Solaire Resort North complements the company’s expansion and comes in addition to its Solaire Resort and Casino in Entertainment City.