kick2dante, if you see this, please clear your inbox.

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Not urgent or anything.

I want to take USD into the Philippines, more than 10K USD. Has anyone done this? What can I expect ?

I might say I'm saving up for a house, and I want to gamble at the casinos, which are basically the 2 reasons I want to bring additional funds there.

I might take around 20K USD there if it's not too much trouble. Or is it easy to send from u.s. bank account to a Philippines bank account?

Thanks,

Anyone know how much beer I can bring into the Philippines? Official sources are conflicting.

You can bring in up to $10K USD without declaring it, but anything over must be declared at customs.

For larger amounts, safer to wire via bank or use services like Wise or Remitly — smooth and trackable

I was thinking of travelling to and possibly living in Manila, playing full-time. Are there many foreign pros living + playing in Manila?

Also I hear a lot about the collusion between locals (sharing card info in the local language).

How big of a deal is this and can I overcome it once I learn a bit of the local language?

I have not used these services yet. I'm also planning to visit Macau during the new year, would this work in Macau also?


I had a plan to go to go from U.S. to Manila to Macau.

I'll need about 20 to 30K to gamble with at all times.

Has anyone tried taking cash and declaring their cash and telling them it's gambling winnings / for playing poker from when coming in from Macao or another place

Thanks,

I've just seen this. Be very careful with this in Manila. Yes officially you can bring up to 10k undeclared and more declared. In practice, in Manila it's a mess, in short that's the only place where I ever needed to pay off airport security (those that scan the carry-on items) with 100 Dollars (negotiated down from 200) who pulled this scam in the middle of everyone, fellow passengers etc. all the sec were working together in this. Later I heard this was very common. Unfortunately I got into a random (maybe not so random) search and I had a substantial amount of cash and casino chips on me but not over the limit (I was just flying in and out from HK at weekends that time). I still feel raped by this.
Yes, I could have escalated to airport police and maybe others but then I would have missed my flight and might not have yielded better results. I heard similar stories from other folks. Remember, it's SEA, the law is whatever people in power say it is.
Mind you the common Filipino tends to be a very nice and honest guy, but some parts of the country have serious crime and corruption problems, inc. some parts of the capital.


Macau is more relaxed, you bring up to MOP 120000 (or US equivalent, like 15k US) undeclared, and nobody will even blink if you bring a good stash of notes, they see this every hour, but if you declare you should have some supporting docs, like bank statements, tax returns or things like that. Just saying gambling/poker winnings probably won't cut it.
Also unless you go directly from the airport you have to pass HK customs, there the limit is 100k HKD (slightly less, like 13k). Also in Macau all casinos play in HKD. If you go through HK, go to a place called Chungking Mansions, many changers on the ground level, they will change your cash at almost 0 spread back and forth. Around 45 mins from the airport (airport express kowloon exit- mtr tst or walk the rest). But few problems in Macau with crime and such. Just everything is much more expensive than in Manila incl. the rake and the games, well, maybe you can find some good games, but they are rare. Choose your poison.

Visiting Macau through the new year is fine. Good weather usually. If you mean CNY it's also fine, but secure your accommodation far in advance (even then it will be expensive) and you will have to deal with some crazy crowds. Even aside from the usual poker waitlist problems (see the other thread)

Is there something like a Casino Account Where i put some Cash in in okada or world Resorts?

I cancelled my trip to Macau based on your assessment that the games are not going to be that good, and because of the hotel expenses at that time.

Is that also true during the Holiday season?

I deliberately picked this time so I can be there when the games were at their best.

Noted about getting money in cash in and out. I actually want to get the money in and out electronically for Macau and Manila back and forth so I can avoid dealing with immigration and customs.

Not that I'm aware of. Maybe take a grab car to and from for safety purposes IMO unless your staying around Resorts World that area is safe IMO. Also I think that directly across the street from Okada would be ok.

You can store money at resort world and probably at okada as well. Front money is pretty standard at casinos

Thanks! Took me a while to read the complete Thread which is nearly as old as me.

Definitive worth reading, insane work thanks!

GG has banned crypto deposit and withdraws. Says need to use gcash but foreigners have 100k monthly allowance. Even the 500k if can get gcash plus is quite small and a pain.


Anyone know what to do or advice? Hopefully not something that lasts a long time

I just cashed out with Crypto and bought in within the past 2 days on GG.

Is there not a better place to play at than gg poker?

This might be an opportunity to check out some different sites.

GG easily the best if you play 1k / 2k

Lower stakes likely easy enough to combine enough sites to get enough volume.

Can you do your deposits and cashouts in Thailand or somewhere else, and also have access to play in the Philippines?

I have a GF and a 1 year old son here in Manila. I'm trying to get a handle on a budget for what I should be spending every month. I'm only planning to be here about 3 months out of the year.

Any tips?

Ideally I'd like to have a 2 or 3 BR house that's accessible to play poker at when I'm here, or alternatively, get a very cheap place in a province area that's further out.

Anyone has any idea where PLO action in PH is happening? It used to be in Angels i have heard. 500/1k used to run there daily. Is it still going on, or whats the best place to play omaha if there is even any action of it now days. Last year around the same time in Manila was dry, not a single game of PLO anywhere but a lot of holdem action.

In AC PLO5 ran as you said in Hann casinos poker room with small rake and nice environment, but sadly they closed the poker room.

If anyone knows where/when this game pops up again, would def be interested.

what stakes was it?

I think the games in manila are private or semi-private as far as I know.

they had 4 cards at Okada a couple of years ago, but they moved it around to different venues over the past year and a half, with a host. Anyone cares to add any info feel free?

It might run occasionally during tournaments at Okada

200/500, 500/500

Will be in Manila/PH for the next 6 months. I land next week.

If anyone could give me an update on the state of the games, that'd be great.

Any other tips are more than welcome too.

Jupiter poker club in Royce in AC seems to be the poker hot spot now. Small 50/100 plo and bigger texas daily.

Mixed games in Manila, I know the main mixed game that is at least advertised at some of the rooms is Badugi.

But do these games ever run in your experience and what stakes do they play?

Played some Badugi at Royce casino in Clark but that was very sporadic at best and would like to get into the mixed game action with some more frequency during my time in the Philippines.