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The ASEAN Gaming Summit in Manila showcased the growth of the gambling industry, with insights from PAGCOR chairman Alejandro H. Tengco and discussions on emerging trends in gaming and technology.
ASEAN Gaming Summit Emphasizes the Industry’s Growth and Success
Last week saw the ASEAN Gaming Summit welcome thousands of attendees and dozens of companies from the gambling industry converge at the Shangri-La the Fort in Manila, the capital of the Philippines. The event saw great success as it facilitated direct contact between various industry professionals and general attendants.
The summit was opened by a State of the Industry Address delivered by Alejandro H. Tengco, chairman of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR). He was quick to highlight the growth of the Philippines’ online sector. He also stated that the ban on offshore gaming in the country, which President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. imposed in 2024, was both a challenge and an opportunity for PAGCOR.
Tengco emphasized that, despite the ban on offshore gaming operators, the Philippine gaming industry maintained its “exceptional performance,” with industry-wide GGR reaching PHP410 billion ($7.1 billion), marking a 25% increase from 2023. The PAGCOR chief also stated that the reduction in eGame fee rates to just 30% of GGR, effective January 1st, 2025, has encouraged unregistered operators to enter the regulated market while also preventing voluntary closures and maintaining profitability among licensed operators.
The PAGCOR Chairman also explained that the ban was a vital measure for the Philippines to be removed from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) “grey list” of jurisdictions under enhanced monitoring. The country was delisted on February 21st, 2025, after successfully addressing the 18 action plan items outlined by the FATF in June 2021.
What Else Was There at The Event?
While officially starting on the morning of March 18 and going through to the end of March 19, the ASEAN Gaming Summit also had special pre-events on the evening of the 17th. Guests could attend Special workshops focused on exploring leadership and management opportunities, jurisdictions, regulations, compliance, and potential prospects.
The next couple of days were filled with information and more events. Guests celebrated the Asia Gaming Awards, which highlighted key players in the industry and specific products that redefine the concept of cutting-edge innovation. In addition, this year, the Awards introduced special new categories and brought in fresh contenders to compete with established industry giants. Here’s the full list of categories in this year’s Asia Gaming Awards, as well as the participating competitors.
The event also hosted various panels on different topics. A very interesting one discussed the history of iGaming in the Philippines, how it will evolve into the future of gaming, technology, and advertising. In addition, attendees were provided with a wealth of insights on topics such as compliance, live tables, ETGs, non-gaming trends, and shifting demographics.
While this year’s ASEAN Gaming Summit was a huge success, plans for next year’s iteration of the event are already underway. It’s scheduled to take place on the same dates between March 17 and 19, and pre-registration is already open.