Kaban Hotel and Casino Boracay, described as the first casino-hotel venue on the Philippine resort island of Boracay to be licensed by the country's gaming regulator, was to have a soft opening on Wednesday (September 16), a property representative confirmed to GGRAsia1. A formal launch of the property is scheduled for October, according to a report by the Manila Bulletin1.
The six-storey property is said to form part of a 23-hectare (56.8-acre) development by Philippines-based Golden TW Realty and Development Corp, a real estate and hospitality group1. It has 88 hotel rooms and a 2,000-square-meter (21,528-sq.-feet) casino floor licensed by the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp (Pagcor), per the report1. The gaming venue is said to include table games, slot machines and electronic gaming stations, according to information provided by the property1.
The property also features seven food and drink outlets. Other amenities include a spa, an outdoor swimming pool, a VIP lounge, a children's play area, a lobby café and a rooftop bar1.
Kaban Hotel and Casino is part of Golden TW Realty's wider development plans for Station 0, an area at the northern end of Boracay, an island that is one of the Philippines' best-known tourism destinations1. The developer is also working on Boracay Central, described as a lifestyle shopping center, and scheduled to open in the fourth quarter of this year, as reported by the Manila Bulletin1.
"Kaban is more than a destination. It is our promise to bring world-class entertainment and heartfelt Filipino hospitality together, creating a place where culture, leisure, and celebration come together."
The opening comes at a time when Pagcor has been seeking to expand the regulated sector while tightening oversight of gaming operations1.
What it means for players
Boracay has not previously had a casino-hotel licensed by Pagcor, so the soft opening adds a regulated gaming floor to an island known mainly as a beach tourism destination1. The venue is on the northern end of the island at Station 0, away from the main White Beach stations1. The casino floor covers 2,000 square meters and is described as offering table games, slot machines and electronic gaming stations1. Entry rules, minimum ages, dress codes and which currencies the cage accepts have not been reported. General rules on who may enter Philippine casinos and what they may play are set out in our guide to gambling in the Philippines, and the wider regional picture is covered in Casinos and Integrated Resorts in Asia. Visitors planning a trip around the opening should note that a soft opening typically means only part of a property is running; the sources do not say which facilities will be operating from September 16.
What happens next
A formal launch of Kaban Hotel and Casino is scheduled for October1. Boracay Central, the lifestyle shopping center in the same Station 0 development, is scheduled to open in the fourth quarter of this year1. No dates beyond those have been reported.
