Manila’s casino options could be increasing by one after the Philippine Court of Appeals (CA) upheld a lower court ruling supporting the casino license application of Waterfront Philippines Inc.

On Monday, the CA’s Sixth Division instructed the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) to issue a provisional gaming license to Waterfront, upholding a lower court ruling that found in favor of Waterfront’s petition.

It was nearly a decade ago that Waterfront filed an application for a license to develop and operate the Grand Waterfront Hotel and Casino in Manila’s Entertainment City gaming zone, which already holds four major integrated resorts. Despite agreeing to all of PAGCOR’s requirements, including depositing US$100m in a commercial bank, the regulatory body declined to act on Waterfront’s application.

Waterfront filed a petition with local courts in March 2015, seeking to compel PAGCOR to perform its mandated functions. In August 2017, the Regional Trial Court (RTC) in Manila found in Waterfront’s favor and ordered PAGCOR to act on the company’s license application.