There is no doubt that the 2019 COVID pandemic hurt gambling revenue across the Philippines. Still, with restrictions lifted and consumer confidence returning, many expect gambling revenue to return to pre-pandemic levels. Before the pandemic, the domestic gambling sector of the Philippines was thriving, with new casinos popping up and tourists flowing; however, all that … Read more
The Okada super casino, located in the heart of Entertainment City, has filed a lawsuit against former chairman and CEO Kazuo Okada. On May 31st, 79-year-old Kazuo Okada led a takeover of the Okada Manila operations. With an order from the Supreme Court, he could force his way back onto the board and assume control … Read more
The Philippines recently announced that they will be cracking down ad revoking POGO licenses for 175 offshore gambling firms and that they expect to deport around 40k Chinese workers. Philippine Offshore Gambling Operators (POGO) have been allowed to operate since the offshore program was created in 2016. The Offshore license only allows businesses stationed in … Read more
Philippine Senate Majority Leader Joel Villanueva has introduced the Anti-online gambling act to delegalize online gambling and criminalize participants; luckily for PH residents, it is not likely to pass. Senator Villanueva believes that online gambling makes residents lazy and that criminalizing the activity will stop addiction and save lives. Penalties of up to six months … Read more
You’re a bettor, aren’t you? A gambler? Well, here’s an interesting proposition: What are the odds that PAGCOR – the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation – will sell off its state-run casino venues to private firms? While the concept of state-run brick-and-mortar casinos might be alien to gamblers in many other parts of the world, … Read more
At the risk of sounding like Captain Obvious, PH Resorts Group Holdings COO Jose Angel Sueiro dished out some Real Talk™ at the G2E Asia 2022 expo. His revelation? That the coronavirus pandemic has been a “great reminder” for casino operators and government regulators to “understand [their] local market.” Part of this, no doubt, is … Read more
As the Philippines continues to climb out of the coronavirus pandemic that’s shuttered much of the gambling market and closed countless downmarket businesses over the last two years, daily good news now seems the order of the day. Every time we put legal Philippine casinos under the microscope, it seems like the entire domestic market … Read more
In sharing the most up-to-date Philippine gambling news, we could tell you about the recent assertions from PAGCOR that the industry is positioned to regain pre-pandemic GGR levels by 2026. Alternatively, we could discuss the massive new NUSTAR IR project in Cebu and all the implications thereof. But the real news, as far as we’re … Read more
As the Philippines transitions from the Duterte Administration to the Marcos Administration, the gambling market has remained relatively quiet. Outside of ongoing e-sabong debates behind closed doors (the pastime remains banned for now), it’s all been very business as usual. In fact, the only item of note in the Philippine gambling industry these last several … Read more
As the new Philippine Presidential administration prepares to take over, it appears that the nation’s anti-e-Sabong initiative will continue to be prioritized. As the massively popular game has been pushed from the regulated space back to the black market, the potential for more abuses – abuses that will no doubt be along the same lines … Read more