Submissions are now officially open for the prestigious Ortak x B.F.T.H. Arena Awards 2025, set to take center stage at Harmony Meetup 7. Featuring Fasttoken and the highly anticipated awards ceremony, this grand event is scheduled to unfold from July 8 to 11 in Yerevan, Armenia.
This year’s edition promises heightened excitement with 21 award categories, exclusive sponsorship opportunities, substantial prize pools, and a landmark gathering of the brightest minds in iGaming.
Key Dates and Deadlines
Submission Open: 15 May 2025, 18:00 (GMT+4);
Submission Close: 21 May 2025, 18:00 (GMT+4);
Voting: 11–25 June 2025, 18:00 (GMT+4);
Winner Announcement: 10 July 2025.
Voting will commence on 11 June to determine winners in select categories. The Ortak Committee will also select recipients for designated awards.
All winners will be announced during the official ceremony on 10 July as part of Harmony Meetup 7 featuring Fasttoken and the Ortak x B.F.T.H. Arena Awards. No shortlists will be released in advance. All outcomes will be revealed at the ceremony.
This is an opportunity to spotlight creativity, reward innovation, and participate in a pioneering event shaping the future of digital gaming.
The Australasian Gaming Expo-AGE 2025 brings the best of innovation, networking, and business opportunities to ICC Sydney from 12–14 August.
The AGE 2025 is the place to see new products and services, network, attend thought-provoking seminars, seek business partners, and generate sales. The AGE is where gaming, technology, and hospitality meet.
The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) has warned of fake gaming certifications allegedly linked to a company that legitimately operates as a licensed e-Games venue.
In a release on Monday, PAGCOR noted that it had received reports that ‘Lucky 7 Bingo Corporation has been engaging in contract agreements with individuals under the guise of offering “guidance and support to potentially earn PHP50,000 ($900) through the Lucky 7 Bet Lottery Platform”.’
The fake agreement encouraged bettors to make an upfront cash deposit of PHP3,000 ($54).
The head of PAGCOR’s Offshore Gaming and Licensing Department noted that “While Lucky 7 Bingo Corporation is a legitimate licensee for E-Games venue operations as of April 30, 2025, it does not hold any valid offshore gaming license”.
PAGCOR stated that the license referenced in the agreements ‘is a fake offshore gaming license since all offshore gaming operations have been officially banned in the Philippines since December 31st, 2024’.
“Any engagement based on [the license] is fake, and any engagement based on it is fraudulent,” indicated the official.
“We urge the public to remain vigilant and always verify the legitimacy of a PAGCOR-licensed gaming entity before entering into any agreements or making any form of payment,” stated Jessa Fernandez.
Lucky 7 Bingo Corporation was, however licensed with the Anti-Money Laundering Council as a PAGCOR-supervised entity as of 2023, it was not registered as a Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) the same year.
The April 30th, 2025 register does list it as an e-Games operator
Good Morning. Inspire new buyers. INSPIRE Entertainment Resort, Korea’s largest foreigner-only casino complex, is up for sale as Bain Capital, which assumed management control after the previous operator defaulted on loan conditions, initiated an open market bidding process. Meanwhile, the Thai government held talks with Wynn Resorts to explore potential investments in integrated entertainment complexes, highlighting Thailand’s appeal as a major tourism and investment hub.
What you need to know
South Korea’s INSPIRE Resort, its largest foreigner-only casino, is up for sale after financial woes and a change in management control.
Wynn Resorts meets Thai officials to explore integrated entertainment investments amid Thailand’s push for legal resort-based gaming.
INSPIRE Entertainment Resort, Korea’s largest foreigner-only casino complex, is now for sale as Bain Capital, which took over management after the previous operator defaulted on loan obligations, launches an open market bidding process. Situated in Incheon, the resort boasts three five-star hotel towers, the largest foreigner-only casino in the country, a convention center, and Korea’s first 15,000-seat multipurpose arena. Despite generating substantial revenue of KRW219 billion ($157 million) for its 2024 fiscal year, the resort faced an operating loss of KRW156.4 billion ($112 million).
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Newport World Resorts, operated by the Travellers group, saw a strong start to 2025, with gross gaming revenues increasing by 6 percent yearly to PHP7.9 billion ($141.6 million).
The group attributed the higher GGR to ‘higher win rates in both the Cash tables and VIP segments’.
Overall the Travellers segment saw an 8 percent yearly increase in revenues, reaching PHP7.69 billion ($138 million), supported by stable non-gaming revenue of PHP1.8 billion ($32.26 million). The group highlighted that ‘hotel operations continued to benefit from the recovery in both domestic and international tourism’, with occupancy rates across the five hotels in Newport World Resorts ranging from 85 percent to 95 percent.
Travellers saw segment profit of some PHP101.4 million ($1.82 million) during the quarter, up nearly 700 percent yearly.
Travellers accounted to 14 percent of parent company Alliance Global Group (AGI)’s consolidated revenues and income during the quarter.
PH Resorts, behind the stalled Emerald Bay project in Cebu (now up for sale), says that the revocation of a provisional license in Clark by the gaming regulator is not linked to its Cebu project.
In a filing with the Philippine Stock Exchange on Friday, the group addressed a recent article by Bilyonaryo.com claiming that PH Resorts head Dennis Uy had not surrendered the original copy of the license for the planned Clark casino project.
PH Resorts indicates that its subsidiary Clark Grand Leisure Cop ‘confirm that CGLC received correspondence from PAGCOR on 19September, 2024 regarding the PAGCOR Board’s approval of the revocation of its Provisional License.’
The group further indicates that ‘PAGCOR also required CGLC to surrender the original signed copy of the PL to finalize the matter’.
The Bilyonaryo article claimed that Uy ‘has yet to surrender the original copy’ of the Clark casino project license.
PH Resorts initially had high hopes for the Clark IR, called ‘The Base’, set to be located on Udenna Group’s Clark Global City. The company requested a voluntary suspension of the license in October of 2021 ‘due to lingering uncertainties surrounding the project’, despite initially hoping to open the property in 2022.
The company clarified that the projects in Clark and Cebu are separate, noting that the ‘license issued to Lapulapu Leisure, Inc. and Lapulapu Land Corp.’ is distinct.
Emerald Bay concept
The group furthered that ‘the voluntary suspension of CGLC’s license does not have any material effect on current financial numbers of PHR considering the CGLC has not begun operations’, noting ‘PL revocation has little to no impact on PHR’s current business and financial numbers’.
The property where the planned Cebu IR, Emerald Bay, is currently up for sale by Chinabank, which bought it in 2023 in order to help the company cover a bridge loan.
The Philippines Department of Justice (DOJ) has announced potential actions against former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque and Cassandra Ong, including a hold departure order for Ong and an Interpol arrest for Roque, following the issuance of arrest warrants by a Pampanga court.
According to The Philippine News Agency, these warrants stem from non-bailable charges of human trafficking related to the operations of Lucky South 99 Corp., a Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) hub recently raided in Porac.
DOJ spokesperson Mico Clavano confirmed that the prosecution may seek a hold departure order to prevent the accused from leaving the country and to ensure they face charges of Qualified Human Trafficking.
Clavano explained that since Roque is currently abroad, the DOJ will utilize diplomatic channels, including Interpol, to facilitate his arrest. “We want to clarify that this is a matter of prosecution for a crime in the Philippines,” he stated, emphasizing that Roque is among many accused and not being singled out.
The Angeles City Regional Trial Court issued the arrest warrants on May 8th after finding probable cause for violations under the Expanded Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2022.
This law penalizes various forms of human trafficking, including forced labor and involuntary servitude. Roque is accused of involvement not only as a lawyer for Whirlwind, the company leasing its compound to Lucky South 99, but also in organizing the POGO firm.
Workers rescued from the raided operation, including Chinese nationals, reported being kidnapped and forced to work in online scams. Roque has consistently maintained his innocence and is prepared to pursue legal remedies.
Senator Risa Hontiveros has urged him to return to the Philippines and face the charges, stating that evading the law is unbecoming of a lawyer. “Harry Roque must be compelled to return to the Philippines. If he doesn’t, he would be evading an arrest order from Congress,” she asserted.
Hontiveros also raised concerns about Roque’s connections to individuals involved in the scandal, highlighting the arrest of Duanren Wu, linked to Ong and investigated for attempting to acquire Filipino citizenship through questionable means. She warned that these dubious connections need to be scrutinized, emphasizing the importance of accountability for those found guilty.
As the DOJ moves forward with its legal actions, the case highlights the ongoing issues of human trafficking and exploitation within the POGO industry in the Philippines, prompting calls for greater oversight and stricter enforcement of laws designed to protect vulnerable individuals.
Macau’s economy contracted by 1.3 percent year-on-year in the first quarter of 2025, with gross domestic product declining to MOP99.76 billion ($12.5 billion) in real terms, according to revised figures released by the Statistics and Census Service (DSEC).
The economic downturn followed a period of strong recovery that began in 2023, when the territory’s growth rate gradually slowed from 23.0 percent in the first quarter of 2024 to 3.4 percent in the fourth quarter. The first quarter output represented 85.2 percent of pre-pandemic levels from the same period in 2019.
Despite the overall decline, exports of gaming services showed resilience with a 1.6 percent year-on-year increase. This positive development contrasted with the broader services sector, where total exports fell by 3.4 percent due to changing visitor consumption patterns and a high comparison base from the previous year.
The tourism sector faced particular challenges as exports of other tourism services dropped by 11.7 percent year-on-year, though they remained 12.7 percent higher than 2019 levels. Visitor arrivals increased by 11.1 percent, but changes in spending patterns and preferences weakened overall visitor expenditure, putting pressure on the local tourism industry.
Merchandise trade also declined, with exports and imports of goods falling by 9.2 percent and 5.1 percent respectively compared to the same quarter last year. The implicit GDP deflator, which measures overall price changes, decreased by 0.5 percent to 99.6.
The Statistics and Census Service attributed the economic contraction to several factors including the relatively high comparison base from the first quarter of 2024, evolving visitor consumption patterns, and broader external challenges. Global economic volatility and uncertainties in China-United States relations have created additional headwinds.
Despite the first-quarter decline, Macau officials maintain a cautiously optimistic outlook. The territory’s public finances remain stable, and the economy continues to show an overall recovery trend. Barring major changes in external and internal conditions, authorities expect Macau to avoid a cyclical economic downturn and sustain its recovery momentum throughout the year.
The Thai government held discussions with executives from Las Vegas-based Wynn Resorts regarding potential investment in entertainment complexes, according to a report from local media outlet The Nation.
Julapun Amornvivat
Deputy Finance Minister Julapun Amornvivat revealed on Friday that representatives from Wynn Development Ltd., the development arm of Wynn Resorts, recently met with Thai officials to discuss details and progress of Thailand’s integrated entertainment complex project. The American gaming giant expressed keen interest in investing in the Southeast Asian nation’s emerging entertainment sector.
Wynn Resorts views Thailand as having strong potential due to its appeal as a world-class tourism destination and major investment hub, citing the country’s natural beauty, rich culture, and historical heritage as key attractions for the project.
“The Thai government is pleased that a leading company like Wynn Resorts sees investment potential in Thailand,” Julapun stated. “This reflects global confidence in Thailand—not just as a tourism hotspot, but as a major investment destination in the region. We are committed to moving forward carefully to ensure economic growth, job creation, and social security for all Thais.”
Chris Gordon, President of Wynn Development, emphasized that Wynn Resorts’ integrated resort operations adhere to strict international standards, particularly in anti-money laundering measures and gambling addiction prevention. He affirmed the company’s willingness to share global best practices in risk management, supported by advanced technologies utilized in the United States and other markets.
During the meeting, Thai authorities provided Wynn Resorts with updates on the draft Entertainment Complex Business Act, which is scheduled for parliamentary consideration in July 2025. The proposed legislation includes comprehensive regulations covering financial controls, social safeguards, and preventive measures against gambling addiction.
The legislation received in-principle approval on January 13 and aims to legalize casinos and other gambling forms through integrated resorts. Under the proposed framework, casinos would be required to operate through Thai-registered corporations, with amendments restricting Thai citizen entry to individuals possessing at least THB50 million ($1.5 million).
Beyond Wynn Resorts, other international entertainment operators—including companies involved in concerts, shows, and sports—have also expressed interest in exploring investment opportunities within Thailand’s entertainment complex project. This signals growing global attention to the country’s emerging entertainment and tourism sector, according to Julapun.
As reported by AGB previously, Prommin Lertsuridej, Secretary-General to the Prime Minister, disclosed that six to seven major international investors have already expressed interest in developing full-service entertainment complexes in Thailand. According to the report, the Thai government has mentioned Las Vegas Sands, Wynn Resorts, Caesars Entertainment, MGM China, Hard Rock Group, and Melco Resorts & Entertainment.
Besides the operators mentioned above, Macau’s Galaxy Entertainment Group has publicly expressed interest in Thailand’s entertainment complex.
INSPIRE Entertainment Resort, Korea’s largest foreigner-only casino complex, has been put up for sale, according to The Korea Times.
Private equity firm Bain Capital initiated the sale process for the sprawling resort located in Incheon’s port city. The firm assumed management control of the resort’s holding company, MGE Korea Limited, in February after the previous operator failed to meet loan conditions.
The Korea Times obtained an official notice confirming the sale, which describes the opportunity as acquiring a newly built, high-end resort complex with a fully approved casino license. The notice indicates the sale follows an open market bidding process intended to establish the property’s fair market value and complete legal ownership procedures.
The integrated resort opened last year near Incheon International Airport. The complex features three five-star hotel towers totaling 1,275 rooms, the nation’s largest foreigner-only casino, and a convention center. Additional amenities include Korea’s first 15,000-seat multipurpose arena for live entertainment and a glass-domed indoor water park.
Despite generating KRW219 billion ($157 million) in revenue during its 2024 fiscal year from October 2023 to September 2024, INSPIRE posted an operating loss of KRW156.4 billion ($112 million). The resort was originally developed by Mohegan Gaming & Entertainment, which operates eight integrated resorts worldwide.
Mohegan INSPIRE celebrated its grand opening, themed “Invitation to INSPIRE: The Joining of Two Cultures,” at the Rotunda, a versatile hub at the heart of INSPIRE, with the attendance of approximately 500 national and international key figures.
Ownership transfer process
In 2021, a Mohegan subsidiary secured a $275 million loan from Bain Capital, using shares in the Korean unit as collateral. When Mohegan failed to meet loan terms, management control transferred to Bain Capital earlier this year.
According to industry sources, while Bain Capital gained effective management control, it has not obtained full ownership and must complete additional procedures to secure legal title. The open bidding process serves both as a formal sale mechanism and as a way to enable independent valuation by third-party accounting firms.
Bain Capital initially planned to take full ownership through a credit bid, receiving equivalent value in shares based on fair market value rather than cash compensation. However, the firm stated it would seriously consider any offers submitted through the open bidding process.
In a recent interview with AGB, Wade Howk, Chief Operating Officer of INSPIRE, emphasized that in practical terms, there were no significant changes. The management team remained in place, as did the employees, vendors, and regulatory relationships, with operations continuing as usual. Looking ahead, the team is maintaining a strong focus on the Chinese and Japanese markets while also showing growing interest in medical tourism.
Regulatory considerations
The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, which issued INSPIRE’s casino license, declined to comment until more details are confirmed. Two possible outcomes could emerge from the bidding process: Bain Capital securing full legal ownership or a third-party company acquiring control.
If a third party takes over, the casino license status remains uncertain. While share transfers alone do not require separate approval, changes in company leadership would require ministry reapproval under license terms.
When Mohegan was selected as the operator in 2015, it entered a conditional agreement to run a foreigner-only casino while maintaining all necessary permits. The government required meaningful public benefit and contributions to cultural development, positioning the resort as part of a national strategy to develop a global tourism hub centered on Korean culture.
Expansion plans and regulatory framework
After taking control, Bain Capital submitted a new business plan outlining investment attraction strategies and phased expansion, including a theme park, shopping mall, and golf course. Any ownership change could raise questions about plan continuity.
A ministry official stated that regardless of ownership changes, INSPIRE remains obligated to meet specific investment and construction requirements. The ministry will continue monitoring compliance with license terms.
Korea maintains strict gambling regulations for citizens due to addiction concerns and community impact considerations. Among the country’s seventeen casinos, only Kangwon Land in Gangwon Province serves Korean nationals, while others cater exclusively to foreign visitors.
INSPIRE’s financial struggles stem primarily from underperforming core attractions, particularly the foreigner-only casino. Despite its strategic airport location, which was expected to attract steady international tourist flows, actual turnout has fallen significantly short of projections. Chinese visitor numbers, a key target demographic, have particularly disappointed expectations.
