State regulator Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) is not looking to sell casinos earlier targeted for privatization just yet, Inside Asian Gaming reported.

According to PAGCOR’s chairman and CEO Andrea Domingo, the revenue these casinos generate for the government is more advantageous than if they were to be sold off to private operators.

She said the agency would continue its dual role as both casino operator and regulator “for the next few years, because they’re still profitable. Because the PAGCOR-owned and -operated casinos, the GGR [gross gaming revenue] they yield goes directly to the government, 100%. With the IRs [integrated resorts], our share of the GGR is about 19.5%. So if you look into that and the contribution to the national government every year, if you take this out it will take five years for a new IR to contribute that amount which automatically lessens our net contribution to the national government by PHP22 billion [$405.2 million] for at least the next 10 years.”

Domingo projected earnings of PHP26 billion-PHP27 billion ($479 million-$497 million) for 2018.