Gaming firm Leisure & Resorts World Corp. said Monday it obtained the approval of Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. to reopen 20 out of the 35 e-Bingo sites earlier closed down by the regulator.
Pagcor ordered the 20 e-Bingo sites closed due to their non-compliance to the distance restrictions on sites such as schools.
LRWC said in a disclosure to the stock exchange the board of Pagcor recalled the revocation to operate eBingo, which is operated by wholly-owned subsidiary AB Leisure Exponent Inc.
“The approval was based on the recommendation of Pagcor’s Gaming Licensing and Development Department and the legal opinion of its corporate and legal services department to honor the licenses of operators whose gaming sites are located inside malls, arcades and hotels and consider them exempted from distance requirements,” LRWC said.
Sixteen other e-Bingo sites remain closed.
LRWC said Pagcor allowed the resumption of eBingo operations until the respective expiration of the licenses of the sites.
Pagcor is studying whether it will permanently maintain the exemption of malls, arcades and hotels from the distance requirements.
Pagcor on Sept. 9 ordered LRWC to close down 17 electronic gaming and 36 e-Bingo sites due to non-compliance with the distance restriction guidelines.
LRWC said it would appeal the Pagcor the order.
The gaming company earlier said the closure of the 53 sites would result in foregone revenues of P477 million and P65.2 million based on its financial performance in first seven months of 2016.
President Rodrigo Duterte earlier vowed to stop the proliferation of online gambling in the country.
Pagcor did not renew the gaming license of another gaming firm, PhilWeb Corp., which is owned by businessman Roberto Ongpin.
Pagcor rules state that an electric gaming or a bingo parlour should not be less than 200 meters from schools and places of worship.
LRWC is a holding company that is engaged in the leisure business, which includes general amusement and recreation, bingo parlors, hotel and gaming facilities.
The company is involved in managing bingo parlors and is an operator of eGames outlets, slot arcades, junket operations, hotel, real estate and other gaming facilities.