(Reuters) — Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte said on Thursday (December 8) he would allow Jack Lam, one of Asia’s top casino kingpins, to do business in the country after he had ordered his arrest on charges of economic sabotage and bribery.
Duterte said he would allow the casino boss to come back to the Philippines if he settles his liabilities, pays his taxes and apologises for allegedly bribing an official.
Lam, from the Chinese gambling enclave of Macau, has been operating online gambling at a former U.S. air force base without a license, the justice department said.
Duterte said that he is happy for Lam to come back on the condition that he lets go of the original contract he was given.
“Just pay the taxes, do not bribe anybody,” he said.
There was no immediate comment from Lam, according to his lawyer, Raymond Fortun, and his whereabouts were not known. Philippine police say he is not in the country.
Last month, Philippine immigration authorities detained about 1,200 Chinese men working without permits in call centre-like facilities for running suspected online gambling operations out of the former U.S. air base, Clark Field.
Philippine police chief Ronald Dela Rosa said on Saturday an associate of Lam tried to secure their release. He said Duterte had ordered the arrest of Lam.
Philippine authorities said they had shut down two properties owned by Lam, who is a Chinese citizen and head of Hong Kong-listed Jimei International
Lam, who used to bring high rollers to Macau’s top casinos including Sands China and Wynn Macau, has faded from prominence over the past few years as a Chinese crackdown on corruption has crippled so-called junket operations.
At the same time, Lam’s operations in the Philippines have grown, including a rise in Chinese nationals gambling online at his gaming site.
