ASIA IN FOCUS
Filipino influencers under fire, Macau stands pat on junket limit, Nepal updates casino reporting protocols and more.
Facebook Shuts Down Philippine Influencers Who Pushed Illegal iGaming
Facebook parent Meta has removed the Facebook pages of social-media influencers who promoted illegal iGaming. The sanction followed a request by the Philippine Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center and Digital Pinoys, a network of “Filipino digital advocates, for the people by the people.”
“Some of these influencers thought they were untouchable — that we were bluffing,” said Digital Pinoys spokesman Ronald Gustilo. “They gambled with the law, and now they’re facing the consequences.”
Senator Joel Villanueva hailed the move as “a significant step forward in our campaign to push for a total ban” on iGaming. Villanueva is the author of Senate Bill No. 47, aka Anti-Online Gambling Act, which would prohibit all forms of iGaming in the Philippines.
The Catholic Church also is calling for an online gambling. In a pastoral letter, Pablo Virgilio Cardinal David, president of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines, asked, “Why do many in the government, the media and business world seem to be silent [about iGaming]? They choose to stay silent because of the considerable profits that this industry generates. … What is sad is that in many cases families, communities—as well as the church—remain silent,” ignoring the “lamentation of those seeking help due to their enslavement.”
In 2024, legal iGaming generated gross gaming revenues of PHP154.51 billion ($2.7 billion), up 165 percent year-on-year. Illegal iGaming also continues to proliferate. Last July, the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation reported that it had blocked 5,793 illegal iGaming websites and apps.
That same month, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. banned Philippine Offshore Gaming Operations due to reports of money laundering, human trafficking and other crimes.
Macau Maintains 50-Junket Limit
Macau’s Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau has announced it will retain the current limit on VIP junkets through 2026.
A maximum of 50 junkets can operate in the market, which hosts just 29, less than 58 percent of the maximum allowed.
In the past, junkets made their money by arranging travel, accommodations and lines of credit for VIP gamblers, and also served as debt collectors. But that model changed with Beijing’s crackdown on capital flight and gamblers’ attempts to bypass foreign-exchange limits.
Under Macau’s 2022 gaming law, junkets no longer share revenue with casinos, but earn a fixed 1.25 percent commission on rolling-chip turnover. They’re restricted to working with just one casino concessionaire. Junket rooms at casinos are also a thing of the past. Last year, the government enacted a new law that restricts the issuance of casino credit to concessionaires alone.
In other Macau news, Seaport Research has amended its GGR forecast for Macau, looking for 7 percent to 9 percent year-on-year growth. The local government is less optimistic, anticipating just 0.5 percent growth for the year to MOP228 billion ($28.2 billion), down from its earlier target of MOP240 billion.
Saipan Casino Sale Nears Closing
Hong Kong-listed Imperial Pacific International, operator of the only integrated casino resort on Saipan, will soon transfer its remaining assets to a new owner, Team King Investments LLC.
The high-roller casino at Imperial Pacific Palace was once one of the highest-grossing in the world, but was still unfinished in March 2020, when it closed due to the Covid-19 pandemic. In 2021, IPI defaulted on millions in annual fees, and its gaming license was suspended.
Team King was the highest bidder at auction, paying $12.9 million for IPI’s assets, including the resort. The bid also includes an option to acquire IPI’s gaming license.
IPI attorney Chuck Choi concedes that the resort has been “open to the elements, and is currently in poor condition.” If Team King chooses to complete and reopen the resort, it would need an additional $150 million to finish the job.
The resumption of gaming is another matter. In June, the CNMI abolished the Commonwealth Casino Commission.
New Reporting Threshold for Nepal Casinos
The government of Nepal has established a new reporting threshold for casino transactions. Operators must now report any transactions from individual customers that total NPR1 million ($7,400) or more in a 24-hour period.
The directive came from the Department of Money Laundering Investigation.
In February, Nepal was added to the Financial Action Task Force “grey list” of jurisdictions at elevated risk of money laundering. FATF cited a “lack of stringent monitoring over financial transactions, especially those linked to illicit money flows, corruption and tax evasion.”
Since then, the country has introduced remedial measures for casinos. Fiscal Nepal reports that gaming halls must maintain 24-hour surveillance of all games and retain the footage for six months; install biometric ID systems at entryways; implement stronger know-your-customer systems; and comply with AML requirements. Visitor records must be preserved for at least five years.
In addition, casino operators must demonstrate minimum paid-up capital NPR200 million ($1.48 million), up from NPR150 million.
