The Isle of Man, a self-governing dependency between Britain and Ireland, is attracting online gaming licensees away from Manila, the Philippines, to become the current champion with 55 licenses, 21 added in the last year.
That could eventually rise to 60 by the end of the year, according to Steve Brennan, chief executive of the Isle of Man Gambling Supervision Commission.
The government attributes this to several factors, such as its handling of the Covid-19 pandemic—which avoided most lockdowns—and an easier to use software for granting licenses.
Another online gaming competitor, Cambodia, decided to ban all online gaming last year, which also contributed to the growth in Mann. Competitors that have begun to accept new licenses include Dubai, Malaysia and Myanmar.
Gaming operator Frank Schuengel told Asia Gaming Brief: “The start of this migration can be traced back to the beginning of the Philippines’ recent descent into instability, and ever since, more and more companies and individuals are arriving here every week. What started as a trickle has now turned into a veritable stream with some operators are renting whole hotels for their newly brought-over staff to stay in.”
Lyle Wraxall, chief executive officer of Digital Isle of Man, commented, “The Isle of Man has a track record of being a safe and secure place for businesses to grow, and boasts a confident, stable economy, with no market restrictions, ensuring minimal disruption to business progress and opportunities.”
