The Philippines this weekend launched its bid to become Asia's third gambling hub with the opening of a $1.2 billion casino, as the region battles the U.S. for supremacy in the global gambling market.
在刚刚过去的这个周末，菲律宾一座造价12亿美元的赌场开业，这是菲律宾试图成为亚洲第三大博彩中心的尝试。亚洲目前正与美国争夺全球博彩市场的霸主地位。
In China, Macau's $38 billion gambling industry already generates six times the revenue of the Las Vegas Strip. In Southeast Asia, Singapore's gambling revenue matched that of the U.S. casino capital within a year of the island opening its first resorts in 2010. Now Manila is gunning for Vegas, too.
在中国，澳门规模380亿美元的博彩产业收入已经是拉斯维加斯大道(Las Vegas Strip)的六倍。在东南亚，新加坡2010年开设首批赌场度假村之后仅仅一年内，其博彩收入就与美国赌城持平。现在马尼拉也瞄上了维加斯。
The new Solaire casino, the gambling-industry debut of international ports billionaire Enrique 'Ricky' Razon Jr., is the first of four big resorts to open near the palm-tree-lined strip leading to Manila Bay. Next year a resort by Macau casino heavyweight Melco Crown Entertainment Ltd. and the Philippines' richest man, property developer Henry Sy, is scheduled to open down the road. A venture between Malaysian casino giant Genting Bhd. and another local billionaire, Andrew Tan, is also planned. Japanese gambling magnate Kazuo Okada is building the fourth resort.
新的Solaire赌场是国际港口运营巨头拉松(Enrique "Ricky" Razon Jr.)首次进军博彩行业之作，也是四座大型赌场中最先开业的。这四座赌场位于通向马尼拉湾、两旁栽满棕榈树的大道附近。明年，澳门赌场巨头新濠博亚娱乐有限公司(Melco Crown Entertainment Ltd.)和菲律宾首富、地产开发商施至成(Henry Sy)联手打造的一座度假村也将在这条路上开业。马来西亚博彩公司云顶(Genting Bhd)与另一位当地亿万富豪吴聪满(Andrew Tan)合资的赌场也在规划中。日本博彩业大亨冈田和生(Kazuo Okada)正在建造第四座度假村。
U.S. casino companies have been significant competitors in both Macau and Singapore, but no big brands are present in Manila. Lawrence Ho, Melco Crown's chief executive, said the all-Asian lineup in Manila represents a 'paradigm shift' in the industry, made possible by Asia's booming economy and the growing strength of the region's own casino operators.
美国赌场公司在澳门和新加坡都是重要竞争者，但尚无大牌公司进军马尼拉。新濠博亚的行政总裁何猷龙(Lawrence Ho)说，马尼拉博彩行业的全亚洲阵容代表着该行业的“典型转变”，亚洲繁荣的经济以及该地区赌场运营商不断壮大的实力令这一转变成为可能。
American casino executives say privately they have avoided Manila because of fears about possible corruption and concerns that growth projections won't be met.
美国赌场高管私下说，他们避开马尼拉的原因是担心可能的腐败行为，同时担忧增长达不到预测。
The Solaire opening, which Philippines President Benigno S. Aquino III attended, drew 25,000 people to the casino's 1,200 slot machines and nearly 300 gambling tables in the first 12 hours. The casino is more luxurious than others in the country, and in some ways flaunts those touches. A sticky bun ordered from room service arrived with gold leaf on top.
菲律宾总统阿基诺三世(Benigno S. Aquino III )参加了Solaire的开业典礼。开业之初的12个小时内，该赌场的1,200台老虎机和近300张赌桌吸引了2.5万人。这座赌场比菲律宾其他赌场更为奢华，它在某些方面也极尽夸张。通过客房服务订的肉桂卷送来时上面还配了金箔。
While gambling has long been legal in the Philippines, most of the country's casinos are run by the government regulator and have none of the glitz that brings in foreign gamblers.
虽然赌博在菲律宾一直是合法的，但该国大多数赌场都由政府监管机构运营，没有任何能吸引外国赌客的光彩。
The new casinos aim to attract both the Chinese high-rollers who dominate Macau and local residents who are benefiting from the country's strong economic growth.
新的赌场意在吸引占据了澳门赌场的中国富豪，还有受益于菲律宾强劲经济增长的本地居民。
