SunCity draws PAGCOR’s ire over Sofitel casino takeover: report

Casino junket operator SunCity Group is in hot water with the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) for reportedly trying “to pull a fast one” on the regulator.

According to a Philippine Daily Inquirer report, the Macau casino junket operator appeared to have taken over the operations of a small casino in the Sofitel Philippine Plaza, a luxury resort hotel located in Manila, from a firm called Success Vine Holdings.

Success Vine Holdings has secured a three-year PAGCOR license in August 2014 to conduct junket operations and run the Sofitel casino, which is described in the report as “a relatively small operation.”

However, the state regulator has gotten word—from its own people—that SunCity hosted “a nice little launch party” for the Sofitel casino several weeks ago. A number of PAGCOR representatives were invited to the event, who, in turn, reported to their superiors about the alleged “blessing and soft opening of the relaunched facility.”