Gambling News Across Asia
News on laws, licenses, venues, lotteries, racing and enforcement in 12 countries, with every story citing its sources.
Solaire Resort North opens in the Philippines
PAGCOR Chairman Alejandro H. Tengco marked the May 25 opening of Solaire Resort North, the Philippines' newest integrated resort, as the regulator outlined a pipeline of further casino investment.
Solaire Resort North opens in Quezon City
Bloomberry Resorts Corporation opened its $1 billion Solaire Resort North in Vertis North, Quezon City in May 2024, with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos attending.
Solaire Resort North opens in Quezon City
Solaire Resort North, a 38-story casino complex in Quezon City from Enrique K. Razon Jr., opened to guests on May 25 after five years of development.
Solaire Resort North holds ribbon-cutting ceremony led by President Marcos
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. led the ribbon-cutting at Solaire Resort North in Pag-asa, Quezon City on 24 May 2024, with Bloomberry executives and gaming regulators beside him.
Pagcor denies Lucky South 99 license renewal application
The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation denied Lucky South 99's license renewal application on May 22, 2024, citing concerns tied to the Bamban offshore gaming case.
Gatchalian files bill to outlaw POGOs
Senator Sherwin Gatchalian filed Senate Bill No. 2689 on May 21, 2024, seeking to repeal the taxability of Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators and to outlaw offshore gaming in the Philippines.
Ministry notice bans youth entry and employment at hold'em pubs
South Korea's Ministry of Gender Equality and Family enacted a notice on May 17, 2024, barring young people from entering or working at hold'em pubs and hold'em cafes.
South Korea bans youth from hold'em pubs and gambling-style game venues
South Korea enforced a ban on Friday, May 17, on youth access and employment at hold'em pubs and similar drinking establishments that offer gambling-style games such as poker.
MHA restored higher casino entry levies
Singapore's Ministry of Home Affairs restored casino entry levies for citizens and permanent residents to S$150 daily and S$3,000 yearly on May 8, 2024, after an earlier order lapsed and the rates reverted for a month.
Bamban mayor denies ties to raided Pogo firm at Senate hearing
Bamban mayor Alice Guo told a Philippine Senate panel she is not connected to, an operator of, or a protector of the raided Pogo firm Zuan Yuan Technology Inc.
Senate hearing links Bamban Pogo to spying and hacking
Philippine senators said intelligence reports linked a raided Pogo compound in Bamban, Tarlac to surveillance and cyberattacks on state agencies, and questioned Mayor Alice Guo over her ties to its operators.
Crackdown on online gambling to resume in May
South Korea's National Office of Investigation says it detained 2,925 people, including 1,035 teenagers, in a six-month online gambling crackdown and will resume the operation in May.
Lucky South 99 Gaming Corporation raided in Porac
Philippine authorities raided Lucky South 99 Gaming Corporation in Porac, Pampanga, about a year after raiding two offshore gaming firms at a Clark hub.
Police to launch crackdown on youth gambling
South Korea's National Police Agency will begin a crackdown on youth gambling in May after the number of juvenile gambling suspects rose to 171 in 2023 from 74 in 2022, with an average age of 16.1.
Politburo approves extension of Phú Quốc casino pilot
Vietnam's government has issued a resolution allowing eligible Vietnamese citizens to enter casinos at the Phú Quốc, Hồ Tràm and Vân Đồn projects, extending a pilot that began in 2016.
Solaire Resort North opens in Quezon City
Bloomberry Resorts Corporation's Solaire Resort North, its second Solaire-branded integrated resort, formally opened in Quezon City in May 2024, according to PAGCOR's annual report.
Macau declares racecourse land concession invalid
Macau's transport and public works secretary has declared the roughly 360,000 square meter racecourse land concession invalid, retroactive to 1 April 2024, with no compensation to the operator.
Police nab over 1,000 teens during online gambling crackdown
South Korea's National Office of Investigation says police caught 2,925 people, including 1,035 teenagers, in a six-month online gambling crackdown that ended March 31.
Cabinet endorses House committee study on entertainment complex
Thailand's cabinet has acknowledged a House committee study on an entertainment complex and asked the Finance Ministry to assess the project's viability and report back within one month.
First batch of vaults opened at Tarlac POGO compound
Philippine law enforcers opened the first vaults at the raided Zun Yuan POGO compound in Bamban, Tarlac on April 8, seizing P5.5 million, $444, 20,000 Vietnamese dong and 20 Hong Kong dollars.
Malacañang orders asset freeze of raided Pogo firm
Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin ordered the Anti-Money Laundering Council to freeze the Tarlac compound and assets of raided Pogo firm Zun Yuan Technology Inc. and moved to deport 499 rescued foreign workers.
National Assembly Standing Committee issues Resolution 1035/NQ-UBTVQH15
Vietnam's National Assembly Standing Committee resolution 1035 tasks the government and finance ministry with completing the legal framework for lotteries, betting, casinos and prize games, with Decree 06 to be amended by 2025.
Entry levies revert to lower rates as 2019 Order lapses unnoticed
Singapore's two casinos collected about $4.4 million more in entry levies than the law allowed for a month in 2024 after the Ministry of Home Affairs overlooked the expiry of a 2019 order.
Parliament passes Law Enforcement and Other Matters Act 2024
Singapore's Parliament passed the Law Enforcement and Other Matters Act 2024 on 2 April 2024, creating new SIM card offenses and amending the Casino Control Act and Gambling Control Act.
Amending law affecting the Act takes effect
An amendment to Japan's organized crime law takes effect on April 1, 2024, changing how gambling offenses are treated within its framework.
Andaz Macau opens at Galaxy Macau complex
Andaz Macau, the brand's largest hotel globally with 700 rooms and suites, has opened at the Galaxy Macau complex, which now counts eight luxury hotel brands.
Cabinet approves principles of Entertainment Complex law
Thailand's Cabinet approved the principles of the Entertainment Complex law in April 2024 and assigned the Ministry of Finance to study and draft the legislation, with a committee also set up to examine full-service venues.
Groundbreaking ceremony held for MGM Osaka
Officials held a groundbreaking ceremony in April 2024 for MGM Osaka, Japan's first integrated resort, a Yumeshima Island project led by MGM Resorts and ORIX with a casino floor planned for thousands of gaming machines.
Melco secures 20-year Sri Lanka casino license
Melco Resorts secured a 20-year casino license in Sri Lanka in April 2024 and is rebranding the former Cinnamon Life Integrated Resort in Colombo as City of Dreams Sri Lanka.
MGM CFO flags higher equity commitment for MGM Osaka
Osaka prefecture has raised the total investment estimate for the MGM Osaka casino resort to JPY1.51 trillion, with MGM Resorts and Orix each lifting their equity commitments to JPY428 billion.