Philippine Lawmaker: POGO Ban Could Mean Tax Hike

The head of the Philippine Senate Committee on Finance says a total ban on Philippine Offshore Gaming Operations in the country could necessitate a tax hike to make up...

Published August 14, 2023

WPT Expanding on Land and Sea with Cruise, Asian Stops

The World Poker Tour announced a poker cruise for next year in the Caribbean and also said it is looking to expand in the Asian market.

Published August 7, 2023

Osaka Expo Complicated by MGM Project

The countdown is on to the 2025 World Expo on Yumeshima Island in Osaka, Japan. But simultaneous preparations for an integrated resort on the island could burden the country’s...

Published August 7, 2023

Philippine IR Back on Track?

PH Resorts Group, developer of a stalled integrated resort project in Cebu, Philippines, says new investors may sign on to see the plan through to completion. The IR is...

Published August 7, 2023

Ho: Melco’s Macau Investment Unchanged

Lawrence Ho (l.), head of Melco Resorts & Entertainment, says the company’s total investment in Macau has not changed, speculation to the contrary. Melco pledged to plow $1.5 billion...

Published August 7, 2023

MS: Solaire North Opening Pushed Back

Morgan Stanley analysts say Solaire North in the Philippines may not open until the second quarter of 2024. The resort in Quezon City is a project of Bloomberry Resorts,...

Published July 31, 2023

Mohegan Gaming’s Korean IR to Launch Casino Next Year

The casino at Inspire, an integrated resort now in development in South Korea, is expected to open in time for Chinese New Year 2024. The property in Incheon will...

Published July 31, 2023

Cheng Family Now Controls Vietnamese IR

The Cheng family, which owns and operates Chow Tai Fook Enterprises, has reportedly assumed control of everyday operations at Hoiana, an integrated resort in Vietnam’s Hoi An Province.

Published July 31, 2023

In Cambodia, 1,200-Plus Arrests for Illegal Gambling in H1

Cambodian law enforcement arrested more than 1,200 people for illegal gambling in the first half of 2023. Last fall, Prime Minister Hun Sen (l.) announced the crackdown to address...

Published July 31, 2023

Philippines Finance Secretary Pushes PAGCOR Casino Sale

The sale of casinos owned by the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. can’t come soon enough for Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno. Diokno says his department could speed the process....

Published July 31, 2023

Japan: Osaka IR to Break Ground in 2024; Nagasaki Still Undecided

MGM Resorts CEO Bill Hornbuckle says the U.S. firm will begin construction of its long-awaited integrated resort in Osaka, Japan “by middle to late next year.” In Nagasaki, however,...

Published July 31, 2023

HK Jockey Club Breaks Records

The season finale at the Hong Kong Jockey Club set two new records for turnover. On July 16, the track exceeded historic results for both a single meeting and...

Published July 24, 2023

Galaxy Macau Room Grows Premium-Mass

Galaxy Macau’s new premium-mass room won’t officially open until mid-August, but it’s already boosted average wagers in the category, says gaming analyst George Choi.

Published July 24, 2023

Yoshimura: Osaka IR Won’t Open in 2029

Osaka Governor Hirofumi Yoshimura (l.) has publicly acknowledged that an integrated resort in the prefecture likely will not open until 2030. The delay was attributed to the central government’s...

Published July 24, 2023

Shin Hwa World a No-Go in the Philippines

Korean casino developer Shin Hwa World is walking back plans to build a casino resort in the Philippines. The firm, which runs Jeju Shinhwa World in Korea, has been...

Published July 17, 2023

Macau Rejects Chau Appeals

A Macau court has dismissed an appeal by former junket king Alvin Chau (l.), convicted in January of running an illegal gambling network. Chau’s attorneys say some evidence against...

Published July 17, 2023

Arrest Order Issued for Okada, Associates in Philippines

A Philippines court has ordered the arrest of Japanese billionaire Kazuo Okada (l.) and his associates for allegedly lifting funds from the Okada Manila casino cage during a seizure...

Published July 17, 2023

PAGCOR Halts More POGO Ops

The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. has shut down yet another offshore gaming operation in Manila pending an investigation. The regulator cited evidence of human trafficking and other crimes...

Published July 10, 2023

Asian Gaming Revenues Soar

In Macau and Korea, among other Asian markets, the post-Covid comeback continues. JP Morgan says Macau will post record-breaking EBITDA margins in the second quarter, and Korea is also...

Published July 10, 2023

Zhijiang Battles Extradition to China

Casino bigwig She Zhijiang (l.), chairman of developer Yatai International, is fighting extradition to China on charges he ran an illegal gambling operation in Southeast Asia’s Golden Triangle.

Published July 3, 2023