Your Daily Asia Gaming eBrief: Clark has the long term ROI

July 5, 2022

Good Morning. As we continue our series of articles counting down to the ASEAN Gaming Summit, we focus on the potential of the Clark Freeport Zone and the wider Clark Economic Zone as a casino hub. The international airport at Clark was recently expanded and the local government wants to focus on attracting the MICE industry, which will give a further boost to the region’s casinos. GCG Gaming Advisory Services director, Scott Feeney, argues that “Clark now has its world-class airport and is well set-up to capture at least 10 percent of the overall Philippines market with the recovery this year.”

What you need to know

Kazuo Okada has refuted allegations of violence in his takeover of Okada Manila and said that he is taking legal action against former executive Hajime Tokuda.
Crown Resorts is facing a second regulatory probe in Victoria over its problem gambling practices and may face a fine of as much as $100 million ($69 million).
Aquis Entertainment said it had requested a suspension from trading on the Australian Stock Exchange after a second bidder emerged for its Canberra casino.

On the radar

Thailand mobility data mixed bag for June: J.P. Morgan.
South Korea’s Paradise, GKL show mixed sales data for June.
Macau kicks off another mass testing round as Covid cases top 900.

AGB Intelligence

ASEAN 2022 COUNTDOWN

Clark’s MICE ambitions a further boost for casino hub

The Philippines Department of Tourism is seeking to position the Clark Freeport Zone as a destination for MICE with its sister city designated for sports tourism, which may provide a further boost to the region’s already thriving casino industry. The Clark Freeport Zone (CFZ) is in Central Luzon about 100 km north of the capital Manila. The zone is built on a former U.S. airbase, which provided a strong foundation for the city’s infrastructure. The wider Clark Special Economic Zone is home to New Clark City, which has a population of about 1.2 million. “Through the help of the private sector, the goal is to transform the CFZ into a preferred business and tourism destination in the Asia-Pacific region and enable investors to find long-term economic returns,” Department of Tourism regional director Caroline Uy was reported as saying in late June.