Nustar Resort and Casino started operations in Cebu City on May 8, 2022, the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) said in its 2022 annual report1. The resort is a flagship project of Universal Hotels and Resorts, Inc. (UHRI), a privately owned corporation of the Gokongwei Group, and sits in the South Road Properties in Cebu City2.
The property describes itself as a 5-star integrated hotel and resort in Cebu offering accommodations, gaming, entertainment, events, shopping and dining3. Cebu Daily News reported that it established itself as the first premier 5-star integrated resort in Cebu, combining a hotel and casino with convention facilities, entertainment shows, theme parks, luxury retail and fine dining2. Its first hotel tower to open, Fili Hotel, is described as the first authentic 5-star luxury Filipino brand of Robinsons Hotels and Resorts and welcomed its first patrons in May 20222.
PAGCOR's annual report lists Nustar's opening alongside other 2022 starts: an operation commencing June 22 with 110 electronic game machines (EGMs), another beginning July 15 with 132 EGMs, and Winford Resort & Casino Manila in Sta. Cruz, Manila on October 7, 20221. The report does not state which operator the June and July EGM commencements belong to.
"Officially opened in May 2022"
The resort's first year brought several additions. In August 2022, Hong Kong restaurant Mott 32 opened its first branch in the Philippines at Nustar, one of only eight Mott 32s worldwide at the time2. Nustar debuted a "jumbotron" for the Sinulog Festival's comeback in January 2023, described as the country's largest 3D LED billboard and the first in the Visayas and Mindanao region2. The resort also held its first Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony in December 2022 and its first International Flower Festival in May 20232. Nustar says it has hosted events including the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Business Advisory Council III Meeting, international boxing matches, concerts, New Year's Eve countdown parties and the Sinulog Festival since its inauguration3.
What it means for players
Nustar adds a casino option in Cebu City, outside the established Manila cluster. PAGCOR's report confirms the May 8, 2022 start of operations1, and the resort describes gaming as one of its offerings3. The sources do not set out entry requirements, minimum age, dress code, game list, table limits or whether foreign and local patrons face different rules; those details have not been reported here. Players planning around the property can check the NUSTAR Resort and Casino guide and the wider Philippines gambling overview, which covers who may gamble in the country. For context on how Cebu fits with other Philippine destinations, see planning a casino trip to Manila, Cebu or Clark.
What happens next
No future opening phases, expansion dates or regulatory steps for Nustar are given in the sources. PAGCOR's report notes only that the resort began operations on May 8, 20221.
