The June 2 attack at the Resorts World Manila casino in the Philippines was one of the worst casino attacks in recent times that left 37 people dead and more than 70 injured. The attack was carried out by a lone gunman known as Jessie Javier Carlos who entered the casino with an automatic weapon and a can of gasoline which he used start fires – including setting himself ablaze in a hotel room at the facility.
Philippines Launches Investigation
ISIS has claimed responsibility for the attack but the authorities in the Philippines has debunked this claim stating that the 42 year old gunman was an ex-employee of the casino and had accumulated debts in excess of 4 million pesos. Vitaliano Aguirre II, the justice secretary has ordered the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to launch an investigation into the incident and Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp (PAGCOR) have asked Resorts World Manila to submit a detailed report as well.
Casinos around the world have now been forced to look at their security procedures and make the necessary changes to ensure an incident like this does not happen at their premises. Macau – the biggest gambling hub in the world has a number of multi-billion dollar casino resorts and as a result all casinos have been asked to increase the number of security guards and ensure they security equipment and technology are working properly to facilitate extensive checks.
Macau Increasing Security Measures
The Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau, which is the gaming regular in Macau is taking steps of its own to improve its inspection procedures. The regulator stated that it will focus on collaborating closely with casino operators and the police to increase safety and security precautions at all casinos in Macau. These measures will most likely cause a bit of an inconvenience to patrons as they will have their bags checked, have to go through metal detectors and some might even have to answer questions if the security personnel find anything suspicious.
Casino operators generally want to make the entry process as easy and quick as possible for its patrons in order to welcome them and allow them to access to the casino. However with the Resorts World Manila incident, casino operators have to step up their game and ensure that there is no breach in security.
Melco Resorts Taking Attack Very Seriously
Hong Kong Billionaire and CEO of Melco Resorts Lawrence Ho is doing just that. His company operates casino resorts in Macau as well as the City of Dreams Manila casino resort. In a statement, Ho said “With an incident like this, especially at Resorts World Manila, we certainly would ratchet that (security) up even more…certainly an issue we will buckle down on. We get news about what happens around the region. Occasionally, there are instability within geopolitics in the Philippines and the ASEAN region, so we take it (security) very seriously.”
Security Flaws At Resorts World Manila
Casino operators and security firms who provide security to casinos across the world will have to ensure that their security personnel are highly trained and also have the necessary equipment to protect the casinos and themselves. Reports suggest that the security personnel at the Resorts World Manila facility did not have high powered weapons to take out the gunmen and protect casino patrons. As a result, some of those security personnel decided to run away and flee from the gunman instead of taking him out.
This is because due to the martial law passed by President Roberto Duterte, security personnel were not allowed to have high powered guns even though their security firm had a permit to do so. Resorts World Manila will also have to explain how the 42 year old attacker managed to bypass security and access the second floor with an automatic weapon and a can of gasoline.
From Criminals To Terrorists
Casinos across the world have tended to put in place security measures and train their security personnel to identify individuals who are resorting to cheating or money laundering practices as they have been recurring occurrences as the casinos over the years. However with the increase in terror related incidents, casinos will now be forced to provide their security personnel the proper training and equipment to prevent and handle terror attacks.