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Kaban Hotel and Casino Boracay says it will soft-launch on September 16, 2026, as an 88-room hotel-casino at Station 0 on the island’s north end, with a grand launch set for October 11. The operator posted those dates in a September 5 update that also maps beach activations at Station 1 and Station 2 through October 18, and the same calendar appears on its First Millionaire promotion page, which runs from noon on September 16 through the October 11 grand draw.
Travelers who want a casino-hotel stay, 21-plus gaming, or a north-end base near Puka Shell Beach now have a dated window to book, while anyone under 21 can still use rooms and dining without entering the casino. For the rest of the island’s beach circuit, start with Deep Arrival’s guide to things to do in Boracay, then decide whether Station 0 is worth the extra transfer from White Beach.
- Soft launch: September 16, 2026, per Kaban’s operator site.
- Grand launch: October 11, 2026, with the First Millionaire grand draw the same day.
- Property: 88-room hotel-casino at Station 0, Malay, Aklan.
- Casino access: 21 and older; membership is free and required for rated play.
- Dining: Lamii all-day dining is scheduled to start serving on September 16.
Soft Launch on September 16, Grand Launch on October 11
Kaban is not treating September 16 as a quiet staff rehearsal. The operator’s own pages describe a public soft launch that day, with Lamii opening for all-day dining and a casino promotion that starts at noon. Rooms are already offered through the hotel’s direct booking engine, and Kaban Star Rewards membership is advertised as free, with savings on stays and outlets plus priority access to live events.
October 11 is the louder date. Kaban’s First Millionaire page sets that day as both the grand launch and the grand raffle draw for a 1 million peso prize pool, with an earning window that closes at 3 p.m. Independent reporting in The Philippine Star on August 28 already placed a general manager, Sherwinne Cabalang, on site and confirmed an events deal with Insignia Presents that was scheduled to take effect in September 2026.
That sequence matters for planning. A guest who can only travel in mid-September is booking a soft opening, not the full launch party. A guest who wants the entertainment calendar and the raffle needs to stay through October 11 and meet the 21-plus rules that govern casino promotions.
Station 0 Sits North of White Beach
Station 0 is the island’s newest named zone, at the north end around Boracay Highway and Punta Bunga Road in Barangay Yapak, not the Station 1 to Station 3 strip most visitors mean by White Beach. Kaban’s site puts the hotel inland of that north shore and lists a three-leg transfer from Caticlan: five to 10 minutes to the jetty, a 15-minute boat to Cagban, then 20 to 25 minutes north by e-tricycle or van.
Kalibo International Airport adds a 1.5 to 2 hour ride to Caticlan Jetty before the same boat. Until October 18, Kaban is also running pop-up activations at Aplaya on Station 1 and at Laketown in front of BudgetMart at D’Mall on Station 2, with games and Star Rewards sign-ups for guests already on White Beach.
Rooms, Dining, and Casino Access for Opening Week
Kaban describes itself as an 88-key design hotel, meaning 88 rooms, not a sprawling integrated resort. The operator is already selling stays through its own booking engine and markets a sports bar, a skybar, a spa, and Lamii, an all-day restaurant it says will blend Filipino and global dishes starting September 16.
Casino access is separate. Promotion rules limit rated play and raffle entries to verified members who are at least 21, physically present, and using a membership card. Guests under 21, or anyone who does not want a casino floor, can still book a room and eat at Lamii. The Philippine Star’s August 28 report treated the sports bar and casino lobby as finished rooms already hosting a signing ceremony, which is stronger than a rendering, but it does not prove every outlet will be live on September 16.
Larger Casino Projects on Boracay Remain Separate
Kaban is not the $300 million Boracay World Resorts project Alliance Global Group has discussed for Newcoast, and it is not the older Galaxy Entertainment proposal that local politics stalled years ago. MyBoracayGuide’s 2026 casino briefing places Kaban as a contained hotel-casino at Station 0 while those larger ideas remain in planning. Travelers should not book Kaban expecting a Resorts World-scale complex.
The operator, GTW Hotel and Leisure Inc., developed the property with Golden TW Realty and has marketed it as the island’s first hotel-casino. Independent local coverage repeats that positioning, but Deep Arrival did not review a PAGCOR license file or a Malay municipal endorsement. Kaban has said the project is proceeding with required permits. That is the operator’s account, not a regulator readout. A guest waiting for a Newcoast integrated resort is waiting on a different developer, site, and timeline.
Age Limits, Membership, and What to Book Now
The next three days are the useful window if you want the soft launch. Check the direct booking calendar for September 16 arrivals, confirm the room is actually open, and decide whether you need a 21-plus member in the party before you pay. Free Star Rewards enrollment is on the operator site, and the First Millionaire rules require that card during play if you care about the raffle.
If October 11 is the date you actually want, treat September 16 as a preview. Ask the hotel in writing which outlets will be open on your dates. International visitors should budget the Caticlan or Kalibo transfer, especially after dark. Station 0 is not a walk from D’Mall. A White Beach hotel plus a Station 1 activation visit may be cleaner until the grand launch if the group is split between beach time and casino time.
| If you… | What to do |
|---|---|
| Want a room for the September 16 soft launch | Book direct now and confirm the category is open; Kaban lists 88 rooms and is already selling stays. |
| Want the October 11 grand launch and raffle | Plan a stay through that date, enroll in Star Rewards, and be 21 or older for casino promotions. |
| Are under 21 or do not gamble | You can still book rooms and Lamii dining; skip the casino floor and the First Millionaire draw. |
| Are based on White Beach | Use the Station 1 and Station 2 activations through October 18, or budget 20 to 25 minutes from Cagban to Station 0. |
September 16, 2026 is the soft launch. Rooms, Lamii dining, and the opening casino promotion are tied to this date on Kaban’s own site.
October 11, 2026 is the grand launch. The First Millionaire grand draw and the louder entertainment calendar sit on this date.
October 18, 2026 is the last listed White Beach activation day. Station 1 and Station 2 booths are scheduled through that date.
When does Kaban Hotel and Casino Boracay open?
Kaban’s operator site sets a soft launch for September 16, 2026, and a grand launch for October 11, 2026. Dining at Lamii and the opening casino promotion are tied to the September 16 date.
Is Kaban Boracay’s first casino?
Kaban markets the property as the island’s first hotel-casino, and local guides describe it that way. Larger Newcoast and Galaxy casino-resort plans remain separate and are not open.
How do you get to Station 0 from the airports?
From Caticlan, Kaban lists a short hop to the jetty, a 15-minute boat to Cagban, then 20 to 25 minutes north. From Kalibo, add 1.5 to 2 hours on the road to Caticlan first.
Can you stay at Kaban if you do not gamble?
Yes. The hotel and Lamii restaurant are sold as lodging and dining. Casino play, membership perks tied to rated gaming, and the First Millionaire draw are limited to guests 21 and older who meet house rules.
