Okada Manila vs Solaire

Where Okada Manila is and how to get there

Okada Manila sits at New Seaside Drive, Entertainment City, Parañaque City, 1701, Metro Manila². That puts it in the same reclaimed bayfront strip as Solaire, so if you are comparing the two, you are comparing neighbors. You can walk between the two properties in principle, though most people take a car.

From Ninoy Aquino International Airport, the resort is about 5 km away⁷. The drive takes roughly 15 to 30 minutes depending on traffic⁶. Manila traffic being what it is, budget the upper end at rush hour and the lower end early morning or late at night.

If you are staying at the hotel, the resort runs a transport service. It is available only to hotel guests of Okada Manila, booked through the hotel concierge or the transport valet cashier, and advance booking is recommended⁸. Guests who book directly also get complimentary round-trip airport transfers⁵.

There is also a complimentary shuttle on the Araneta City route, with hourly departures from 8 AM to 10 PM from Okada Manila and 10 AM to 12 AM from Araneta City⁶. For general transport questions, the number is +632 8888 0777⁷.

Games on the floor: tables, slots and VIP clubs

Okada Manila describes its gaming floor as the largest in the Philippines, with a wide selection of table and electronic entertainment⁵. The operator repeats that claim in its own press material, calling it the largest gaming floor in the country⁹.

On the table side, you are looking at about 400 table games spread across the main floor and the VIP clubs¹. The mix runs from the core games to a long list of variations:

• Baccarat and roulette
• Blackjack and poker
• Variations like Crapless Craps, Sic Bo, Teen Patti, Pontoon, Pai Gow Poker and Money Wheel¹⁰

If you want the full list of what each game involves, the site's casino games section covers the rules.

The electronic side is bigger than the table side by count. There are more than 3,000 machines, including progressive jackpots, mystery jackpots and standalone progressive links¹¹. The resort also claims the biggest progressive jackpot in the country⁵.

For high rollers, there are exclusive clubs: Perlas, Maharlika and the VIP Club⁹. The VIP Club alone has 35 baccarat and roulette tables across 7 high-limit salons, with private bars and beds in some rooms¹². If you want to understand how these rooms differ from the main floor, see VIP rooms and private gaming.

One small perk worth knowing: free wine and selected alcoholic drinks are served while you play, ordered through the casino floor servers¹.

Minimum age: 21

Who can enter: age 21 and over and prohibited visitors

The age rule is simple and it applies to everyone: gambling at Okada Manila is for 21 years old and above only³. That covers citizens, foreign residents and visitors. There is no separate rule for tourists.

Two groups are barred beyond the age line. Persons under 21, and students of any school, college or university in the Philippines, are banned from entering, staying in or playing in casino gaming areas and on the online gaming websites¹³. Members of the Philippine armed forces, including the army, navy, air force, and the Philippine National Police, are also banned from entering, staying in or playing in casino gaming areas and online gaming websites¹³.

For international visitors, the practical answer is yes, you can enter the gaming area. Bring photo ID showing your date of birth, because you may be asked at the door. The same 21-and-over rule applies across Entertainment City, so if you are also weighing the other property, the Solaire Resort page covers its entry rules.

If you want the wider picture of how Manila's casino strip fits together, see Entertainment City Manila Casinos.

Reward Circle, Okash and direct-booking perks

Reward Circle is Okada Manila's official loyalty program, tied to the five-star integrated resort in Entertainment City¹⁴. Membership runs in tiers: Prime, Elite, Premium, Supreme and Maharlika¹⁵. The higher your tier, the more the perks stack up.

What you actually get as a member includes 1% lifestyle points on every hotel stay, every purchase and every meal¹². Members also get up to 25% off services and at Okada-affiliated shops and restaurants¹. If you are comparing this to other programs in the region, the casino rewards cards page explains how tiers and points generally work.

Booking direct is where the visible value sits. Direct bookings come with complimentary round-trip airport transfers and up to 20% dining discount at select restaurants⁵. That is on top of whatever your Reward Circle tier gives you.

Payments can be cashless. Okash, under OkadaPay, handles cashless transactions for Reward Circle members¹². The resort pushes this across stays, play, dining, shopping and relaxation⁷. If you prefer chips and cash, the casino chips and cashier page covers how cages work in Asia.

Poker tournaments and events at Okada Manila

Poker is part of the regular table lineup at Okada Manila, alongside baccarat, roulette, blackjack and the electronic games¹. But the property is also a tournament venue, and that is where the bigger numbers show up.

Okada Manila runs poker tables alongside its other games, and the room hosts tournament series through the year¹⁶. If you want a sense of scale before you sit down, the casino floor holds about 400 table games across the main gaming area and the VIP clubs¹⁶.

Tournament dates and guarantees change from series to series, so check the schedule with the casino before you plan a trip around one¹⁶. For anything you cannot confirm in advance, the safe assumption is that the regular cash tables are running and the tournament calendar is not.

If you are new to tournament poker, the casino tournaments page explains how baccarat and slot tournaments work, and the same principles of buy-ins, structures and registration apply.

Fake websites, vouchers and booking scams to avoid

This is the part where a little care saves you real money. Okada Manila has issued repeated warnings about third-party sellers.

Coupons, tickets and promotions sold outside the official website or authorized points of sale may be fake and may not be accepted or endorsed by Okada Manila¹⁸. The same goes for offers of buffets, premium dining, spa treatments, facility access or events sold through vouchers, tickets and promotions that did not come directly through official or authorized stores. Those may be fake and may not be honored¹⁹.

Bookings are the other trap. All bookings should be made directly through the official booking site at www.booking.okadamanila.com or through reputable travel platforms. Bookings made through unauthorized channels will not be honored and may be fraud¹⁷. Bookings made through social media, or by individuals claiming affiliation with the resort, are not permitted and are likely fraudulent¹⁷.

On the gaming side, the licensed online domain is www.okadaonlinecasino.com²⁰. Any other website or app claiming to offer gaming or betting in the name of Okada Manila is illegal and unauthorized¹⁸. If you are looking for the broader picture of what is licensed in the Philippines, the Philippines gambling guide covers it.

What to expect on the day

Walk in through the main entrance, and expect a bag check and possibly an ID check at the gaming floor entrance. Bring photo ID showing your date of birth. The 21-and-over rule is enforced³.

Once inside, the floor is large enough that it helps to know the layout before you start walking. Table games cluster in the main pit, with the VIP clubs set apart. Slots and electronic games are spread across the floor, with more than 3,000 machines to choose from¹¹.

If you want a drink while you play, order from the floor servers. Wine and selected alcoholic drinks are complimentary while you are playing¹.

If you get hungry, there are more than 40 dining venues across the property²¹. That range covers everything from casual to fine dining, and direct bookings get up to 20% off at select restaurants⁵.

If you need help with a gambling problem, or you want to set limits before you start, call (02) 8538-9090 or visit the PAGCOR responsible gaming page at www.pagcor.ph/regulatory/responsible-gaming.php¹². You can also email the responsible gaming team¹⁵. The service exists for exactly this purpose, and using it is not a big deal.

Okada Manila vs Solaire: the practical comparison

Both properties sit in Entertainment City, both are open, and both take players aged 21 and over. The differences that matter to a visitor are size, distance from the airport and the perks attached to booking direct.

Okada Manila claims the largest gaming floor in the Philippines⁹. It backs that up with about 400 table games and more than 3,000 machines¹. Solaire is the other flagship in the same district, and its entry rules are covered on the Solaire Resort page.

If you are flying in and want the shortest transfer, Okada Manila is about 5 km from NAIA, with a 15 to 30 minute drive⁶. If you are comparing the whole city rather than just these two, the Entertainment City Manila Casinos page maps the district.

For a wider regional view, Macau, Singapore, Manila, Genting and More: Asia's Casino Destinations Compared puts Manila alongside the other major Asian markets.