Jay Chun

A total of 13 individuals were arrested and charged after a recent operation at Marina Bay Sands (MBS) casino for allegedly offering unlicensed services, including the buying and selling of casino chips to patrons.

The Philippine National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) has filed charges against 16 foreign nationals following a raid in Cebu. The Central Visayas office of the NBI charged the individuals with qualified human trafficking after raiding a suspected Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) hub in Barangay Agus, Lapu-Lapu City.

Australian gaming operator The Star Entertainment has appointed former Crown Resorts COO Mark Mackay as its Chief Executive Officer of The Star Gold Coast, effective from Tuesday.

Wynn Resorts has announced that it has reached an agreement with the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) to pay the largest penalty ever by a Nevada gaming company: $130.13 million.

SkyCity’s Auckland casino has officially commenced the five-day closure period of its casino, as mandated by New Zealand’s Department of Internal Affairs.

Australian gaming operator The Star Entertainment Group has announced that is subsidiary in Queensland has reached an agreement to sell its leasehold on the Treasury Brisbane Casino building for $45.5 million.

The Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission deported 75 Chinese nationals after discovering they were employed at an illegal Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) hub in Pasay City.

Japanese conglomerate Universal Entertainment Corp, the parent company of Okada Manila, has completed the early redemption of overseas privately placed notes valued at $760 million.

The unsecured creditors of Imperial Pacific International continue opposed to the bid price for the sale of the casino property, filing an opposition to IPI’s motion to approve the bid price of $10 million.

No report on displaced Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) workers has yet been received by the nation’s Department of Labor and Employment, according to the Labor Secretary.

The AGEM Index marked August with a high note, rising by 5.5 percent from the prior month. Compared to one year ago, the index was up by 35.7 percent.

Dismissed Bamban 'POGO Mayor' Alice Guo is back in Manila and, together with alleged conspirators, could face up to 560 years in prison if convicted of money laundering.

Super typhoon Yagi has already severely limited non-land based travel to Macau, with ferry services between the gaming hub and Hong Kong suspended entirely as of 3pm (from Hong Kong) and 4pm (from Macau).

Authorities from the Philippines and Indonesia are discussing a potential prisoner swap involving fugitive POGO mayor Alice Guo and an Australian drug smuggling suspect wanted by Jakarta.

Kangwon Land has received approval from South Korea's Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism for an expansion of its casino facilities. 

Hong Kong’s betting turnover on local races fell by nearly 10 percent in 2023, with the Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC) attributing the decline to a rise in illegal gambling and increased spending by residents outside the city.

According to data from the Department of Tourism (DOT), international visitor arrivals in the Philippines increased by 10.9 percent between January and August compared to the same period last year.

Australian gaming operator The Star has released an update, confirming that it is ‘reviewing its financial and liquidity position with various advisors’ in preparation of the launch of its financial results for the January-June period.

Lawmakers in the Philippines hope that Alice Guo’s arrest will pave the way for her appearance in ongoing probes by the Senate and the House of Representatives.

Thailand's King Maha Vajiralongkorn has officially endorsed the new cabinet formed by Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, with Julapun Amornvivat, a key figure in the effort to legalize casinos, retaining his position as deputy finance minister.