The Universal Entertainment Corporation, the parent company of Okada Manila casino, is looking to take over the stalled Emerald Bay casino resort in Cebu. Universal has agreed to invest, and construction will resume if the deal goes through. The company plans to have the project completed by July 2026.
PH Resorts Chairman Dennis Uy said that this new venture is aligned with their strategy to increase their footprint in the Philippines after their remarkable success with Okada Manila. Chairman Uy also stated that they hope to turn Emerald Bay Resort into a symbol for the development of Cebu as the centerpiece of the Visayan tourism market.
In 2017, PH Resorts was issued a provisional gaming license from the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR). Once completed, Emerald Bay will feature a five-star hotel with 642 rooms, four pools, 18 food and drink locations, retail space, and a large-scale gaming floor with more than 700 electric casino games and over 140 gaming tables.
Okada Manila Casino
Okada Manila is one of the biggest casino resorts in Entertainment City, a tourist destination within Metro Manila. Also known as the “Parañaque Strip,” E-city currently hosts five resort-style casinos: Solaire Resort & Casino, the City of Dreams Manila, Okada Manila, Westside City Resorts World, and NayonLanding.
In 2022, Okada Manila was taken over by former majority stockholder Kazuo Okada. After Okada cleared the casino, he replaced the security team with his own and effectively took control of casino operations. In 2023, a Supreme Court order that temporarily reinstated Kazuo was lifted and resulted in Kazuo’s removal. Today, Okada Manila is controlled by the Tiger Resort Leisure & Entertainment Corporation, and while the resort still bears Okada’s name, he has been removed from the board.
Online Casinos In The Philippines
In addition to numerous casino resort locations around Manila and throughout the rest of the country, legal PH online casinos from outside the island nation can also be accessed. There are no laws that forbid offshore gambling, but there are laws that prevent domestic casinos from offering their services online.
Popular online casino games include blackjack, roulette, craps, video poker, slots, and more. Online casinos offer hours of entertainment at a fraction of the price compared to domestic casinos. If you want to see what you can access online, visit our casino site reviews, where we detail each of our recommended sites and discuss banking options, bonus rewards, and user experience.