Rodrigo Duterte, the president of the Philippines, has ordered that all gaming assets of Jack Lam Yin Lok be seized. This order was issued after Lam allegedly failed to pay the correct taxes. Local media is reporting the seizure order which comes just a short time after Duterte ordered Lam to be arrested on accusations of economic sabotage and bribery.
Lam is an entrepreneur who founded the Jimei Group and is an investor in VIP gambling operations of Macau. The website of the Jimei Group has the Fontana Casino located at Fontana Hot Spring Leisure Parks as well as the Fort IIocandia Hotel and Casino as their operation areas in the Philippines.
Lam’s arrest order was sent out soon after more than 1,300 Chinese nationals were detained after being linked to the Fontana casino. According to one newspaper, the Philippine Daily Inquirer, Duterte stated that even though Lam paid the correct taxes based on wagers placed by individuals who were enjoying gambling physically at the casinos, the government did not receive any tax payments for the online wagers that took place by those who were outside the country. Duterte stated that the amount lost is undetermined.
Duterte indicted in the past the he was willing to let Lam continue to operate his businesses in the country if he were willing to pay higher taxes than what is listed in his current contract. The casino regulator of the Philippines, Philippines Amusement and Gaming Corp, issued a closure order for the Fontana Casino on the 4th of this month and the Fort IIocandia the very next day.