From land-based to online: Okada Manila permitted to launch online gaming services

Philippines gaming regulator PAGCOR has now authorised Okada Manila casino resort to accept bets online in the Philippine capital, said Japanese gaming conglomerate Universal Entertainment Corp.

In a filing on Monday, Universal Entertainment said to Jasdaq that Tiger Resort on 19 April received a letter from the PAGCOR approving the firm to enter into online gaming. Universal attached the regulator’s letter to its filing.

Universal Entertainment said, “The system is scheduled to go into operation after clearing various conditions, such as confirmation of compliance with casino regulations and test simulations, including proper collection of casino licence fees and anti-money laundering [regulations],”.

The company added that Okada Manila was “the first among the four integrated resorts comprising Entertainment City in Metro Manila” to receive such authorization.

In the authorisation letter by PAGCOR attached to Universal Entertainment’s filing, it is stated that the Tiger Resort’s request to conduct online gaming of table games and electronic gaming machines at Okada Manila, was approved by PAGCOR in a meeting held on 15 April. The document is signed by PAGCOR’s Assistant Vice President Angeline P. Papica-Entienza.

The letter handed out by PAGCOR states that the system to be deployed by Tiger Resort to support online gaming at Okada Manila “must be capable of being audited for proper determination of taxes and license fees.”
In addition to PAGCOR’s letter, the system also “must be able to prevent minors/banned persons from playing,” and “must be able to include other safeguards such as prevention of money laundering and enforcement of responsible gaming,”

PAGCOR concluded, “there should be no proliferation of online /remote gaming.”
Universal Entertainment said in its Monday filing, it considered the approval of online gaming at Okada Manila a “first step”, and added it would “continue to develop online sports betting gaming using its proprietary technology.”

“It was unclear from Universal Entertainment’s filing, whether the authorisation received by PAGCOR for online gaming referred to “PIGO”, or Philippine Inland Gaming Operator, gambling.”

At the end of last year, SiGMA News announced that PAGCOR introduced PIGO licences for online gambling services serving the domestic VIP high rollers located within the Philippines which is the opposite of Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs), that targets international gamblers, most especially in mainland China.

PACGOR Chairwoman, Andrea Domingo previously stated, that in addition to PIGO services targeting VIP players, the players will need to be Philippine residents and deposit funds at the land-based casino. Players will be identified by using face recognition technology.

The head of the Philippine casino regulator said last December that three of Manila’s Entertainment City gaming resorts – Bloomberry’s Solaire Resort & Casino, Melco Resorts’ City of Dreams, and Universal Entertainment Group operating Okada Manila, along with an operator in Subic Bay – were among venues earmarked to offer online gaming to domestic players via their premises using a PIGO licence.

Join us for the SiGMA Virtual Roadshow taking place next month. The Manila agenda will feature a keynote from Andrea Domingo, CEO of Philippine gaming regulator PAGCOR, with focus throughout the agenda given to regulatory topics, such as PIGOS, trends and predictions for gaming in Asia, and market recovery following the pandemic.

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