Philippines gaming and technology investor DigiPlus Interactive Corp, formerly known as Leisure and Resorts World Inc, says it has no imminent plans to develop land it owns on the holiday island of Boracay after its former partner, Macau’s Galaxy Entertainment Group, this week poured cold water on the idea of revisiting a proposed integrated resort development.
The two companies had in 2018 announced plans to jointly develop a US$550 million integrated resort on Boracay and were even granted a provisional license from PAGCOR, however those plans were scuppered when then-Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte placed a moratorium on new casino developments on the island. Duterte lifted the moratorium in August 2021.
Referencing comments made by its founder and now Bacolod City Mayor Alfredo “Albee” Benitez – who had called for the development to be resurrected – DigiPlus noted that Benitez had stepped down from the Board of Directors of DigiPlus [in] 2021 and no longer spoke on behalf of the company.
It added, “Please be informed that DigiPlus has no imminent plans to pursue the development of its 24-hectare property in Boracay Island into an integrated casino project.
“DigiPlus will remain focused on executing on its strategic transformation agenda and establishing itself as one of the fastest-growing, most innovative, and technologically developed digital entertainment groups in the Philippines.
“The Company will continue to grow its digital entertainment segment, which has become its core business since 2022. It will continue to scale up its flagship digital platforms BingoPlus and ArenaPlus and at the same time, launch new and innovative digital entertainment offerings in the coming months.”
The statement comes after Galaxy said Monday it is “not considering re-entering Boracay of Philippines to develop a resort” with its focus instead “on the full reopening of Macau, ramping up our recently launched Phase 3 and the construction of Phase 4.”
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