Gambling News Across Asia
News on laws, licenses, venues, lotteries, racing and enforcement in 12 countries, with every story citing its sources.
Digital lottery quota raised to 11,453,000 tickets for 16 September draw
Thailand's Government Lottery Office raised the digital lottery quota for the 16 September 2022 draw to 11,453,000 tickets, sold at 80 baht each from 2 September by 22,906 agents.
253 arrested in Cambodia's illegal gambling crackdown
Cambodia's National Committee for Counter Trafficking said authorities inspected 9,622 suspected locations, acted against 116 illegal gambling sites and arrested 253 people during a nationwide crackdown.
Abante files bill to ban POGOs
Manila 6th District Representative Bienvenido Abante Jr. filed a bill in September 2022 seeking to ban Philippine offshore gaming operators and declare them illegal in the country.
Cambodia launches crackdown on scam operations
Cambodia began a crackdown in September 2022 on illegal online scam operations, aiming to close the compounds and free the thousands of people trafficked into forced criminality.
Circular 09/2022/TT-NHNN takes effect
A State Bank of Vietnam circular governing foreign exchange for prize-winning electronic games for foreigners took effect on 1 September 2022, setting rules on converting, receiving and moving prize money across borders.
DILG shut down Lucky South 99
The Department of the Interior and Local Government shut down the Philippine offshore gaming operator Lucky South 99 in September 2022, and the Porac compound later resumed operating without a gaming license.
Eight-day nationwide crackdown closes over 90 percent of illegal gambling dens
Cambodia's Ministry of Interior said an eight-day nationwide crackdown closed more than 90 percent of illegal gambling dens, with over 1,000 foreigners of 10 nationalities held.
Gameskraft served show cause notice for Rs 21,000 crore GST
India's tax authority issued a show cause notice to online gaming company Gameskraft in September 2022 demanding Rs 21,000 crore in goods and services tax on the full value of bets placed on its platform.
Lim bids for Macau casino license
Malaysian billionaire Lim Kok Thay sought a Macau casino license in 2022, competing against the six gaming companies that already held concessions in the city.
Lucky South 99 ordered shut down after 2022 raid
Lucky South 99, a Philippine offshore gaming operation in Porac, Pampanga, was ordered shut down in September 2022 after a raid led by Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos in which more than 40 Chinese were reportedly kidnapped.
Overseas vaccination records without declaration record no longer accepted
The Hong Kong Jockey Club will stop accepting overseas COVID-19 vaccination records that lack a declaration record issued at border control points or designated post offices from 1 September 2022.
PAGCOR rejects Okada group control of Okada Manila
PAGCOR refused to recognize Kazuo Okada's group as operator of Okada Manila in September 2022, and Universal Entertainment retook management control with Philippine National Police support.
PM orders nationwide crackdown on illegal gambling
Cambodia's prime minister has ordered officials at every level to shut illegal gambling businesses nationwide, warning that officials who fail to act will lose their posts and offending venues will close permanently.
Raids launched across Phnom Penh districts
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen ordered provincial and district officials to shut illegal gambling businesses nationwide, and raids across Phnom Penh followed, with arrests in at least seven districts.
Senate moves to ban Pogos nationwide
In September 2022 the Philippine Senate moved to ban Philippine offshore gaming operators nationwide after reports of serious crimes including killings and abductions.
Seven operators including newcomer Genting submit license bid documents
Macau's six existing casino operators and newcomer Genting submitted bid documents in September 2022 for the next round of 10-year gaming licenses, with the government's decision announced in late November.
Sihanoukville raids detain more than 1,000 foreigners
Cambodian authorities raided five illegal gambling sites in Sihanoukville and detained more than 1,000 foreigners of 10 nationalities during an eight-day nationwide crackdown.
Studio City Phase 2 opening delayed to Q2 2023
The opening of the Phase 2 expansion at Studio City in Cotai has been pushed from later in 2022 to the second quarter of 2023, with a Don Don Donki supermarket among the new tenants.
Macau government caps casino gaming tables at 6,000 and machines at 12,000 from 2023
Macau's Chief Executive has capped casino gaming tables at 6,000 and gaming machines at 12,000 from the start of 2023, with minimum annual revenue required per table and machine.
Manila Jockey Club to shut down horse racing operations
Manila Jockey Club will not renew its horse racing franchise when it expires on Oct. 23, 2022, ending 155 years of racing and shifting the company to real estate.
Cambodia launches nationwide screening of foreigners against trafficking
Cambodia's interior minister announced a nationwide review of all foreigners in the country except embassy staff, after 40 people fled a Kandal casino and swam back into Vietnam.
Gambling Regulatory Authority inaugurated in Singapore
Singapore inaugurated the Gambling Regulatory Authority on Aug 16, 2022, replacing the Casino Regulatory Authority and taking charge of casinos, lotteries, sports betting and online gambling.
Supreme Court nullifies CA injunction against DOJ-DILG Joint Memorandum
The Philippine Supreme Court has voided a Court of Appeals injunction that had blocked the Justice and Interior departments from enforcing a 2011 joint memorandum against Meridien Vista Gaming Corporation's off-fronton jai alai betting stations.
Class license conditions for remote games of chance take effect
Singapore's Gambling Regulatory Authority brought new class license conditions for remote games of chance into effect on 15 August 2022, covering online games with chance-based elements such as loot boxes.
HKJC Conditions of Entry to Club Premises take effect
The Hong Kong Jockey Club's COVID-19 Conditions of Entry to Club Premises took effect on 12 August 2022, barring entry to anyone with symptoms, a positive test, quarantine status or an invalid Vaccine Pass.
Ministers explain why Decree 06 has not been implemented
Vietnam's public security, finance and culture ministers told the National Assembly that Decree 06 on horse, dog and international football betting remains unimplemented because no operator, managing body or completed project exists.
CGMC renews 54 casino and game of chance licenses in one week
Cambodia's Commercial Gambling Management Commission renewed 70 casino and game of chance licenses in the second quarter of 2022, including 54 in a single week, as operators prepared to reopen after pandemic closures.
Manila Jockey Club will not renew its horse racing franchise
Manila Jockey Club will not renew the legislative franchise that expires on Oct. 23, ending its 155-year-old horse racing operations and leasing its Carmona, Cavite facility to Hapi Jockey Club.
Sections 120 and 124 repealed with effect from 1 August 2022
Sections 120 and 124 of Singapore's Casino Control Act 2006 were repealed by Act 15 of 2022 with effect from 1 August 2022, removing two provisions from the law governing the country's two casinos.
Wu Moubin group case discovered
China's Supreme People's Court has published a case in which Wu Moubin's group was found to have organized mainland gamblers to Macau, with more than CNY 300 million flowing into accounts it controlled.