This week, the Chinese government announced a new initiative aimed at policing the country’s illegal gambling market. This is, at least publicly, something of a 180 from the nation’s stance in the last several months, where it implored the Duterte Administration to bar all online gaming in the Philippines. With Duterte et al. having none … Read more
It’s been a reasonably quiet week in the Philippines gambling market, for a change. However, thanks to the ongoing row between China and the Philippines due to the latter’s controversial POGO industry, developments in competing markets – especially those in China – are of much interest to Filipino casino insiders. Just this week, the China … Read more
While the Philippines have been a constant thorn in the side of China through the former’s controversial POGO industry, Cambodia has received less fanfare for being largely the same thing. Over the past several years, both Southeast Asian nations have built up domestic gambling markets that largely target mainland Chinese players, much to Beijing’s chagrin. … Read more
The Philippine gambling industry can’t seem to catch a break. Despite record profits and a concerted effort to crack down on tax-dodging POGOs and commercial brick-and-mortar casinos, critics are still pushing the narrative that the industry is a magnet for fraudsters and violent criminals. The South China Morning Post’s most recent report on the subject … Read more
There is seemingly no end to the various “controversies” around the domestic Philippines gambling industry. Usually, the issues of import arise from the tenuous, Chinese-dominated POGO (Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator) market, but the local casino markets have also been in the spotlight of late. First, many local politicians suggested that the state-run casinos in the … Read more
2019 has been an adventurous – if not tumultuous year – for the Philippine gambling industry. Between admonishments from neighboring China and the influx of migrants to President Rodrigo Duterte’s crackdown on tax-evading Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) and the local government’s questioning of the state-owned brick-and-mortar casino model, the market – while profitable – … Read more
The 2019 Southeast Asian Games – or SEA Games – are set to get underway on 30 November in Luzon, with the competition lasting through 11 December. And while Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte is slated to host the Opening and Closing Ceremonies, the real stars of the festivities will be the Philippines Men’s and Women’s … Read more
For the domestic gambling industry, it’s been an interesting couple of weeks in the Philippines. There are three major stories of note concerning the gaming landscape in the island nation, with some good news and some bad news. The Good Starting off with the good news, PAGCOR – the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation – … Read more
This past Thursday at 6:00 pm local time, every Philippine casino, betting parlor and restaurant in the islands aired the title bout between hometown favorite Nonito Donaire and Japanese up-and-comer Naoya “The Monster” Inoue. And though Donaire lost the fight and suffered a rare late-round knockdown courtesy of a vicious liver shot, it’s clear there’s … Read more
For the last several months, tensions have flared between China and the Philippines, with the former asking the latter to halt its online casino industry. Calls from inside the Philippines also supported a groundswell of change to the Filipino gambling community, with various lawmakers seeking to privatize and tax state-owned casinos. While neither initiative seems … Read more