Macau’s casino-resorts are considering a fresh frontier in entertainment: turning to virtual performers and digital pop stars to help fill venues and keep the city competitive globally. At a panel during the IAG EXPO in Manila, David Baxley (of Sands China and Marina Bay Sands) noted that it is increasingly difficult to secure headline acts like Jackie Cheung or Bruno Mars on a regular basis—there simply aren’t enough global superstars to go around. The idea is that virtual performers—either digital avatars, resurrected performances via holograms or avatars, or AI-driven pop stars—might offer an alternate route to entertain large audiences consistently.
Paradise Co. Ltd., a Korean casino operator focusing on foreigner-only operations, is reportedly exploring the acquisition of the West Wing of the Grand Hyatt Incheon hotel, located near Seoul, South Korea. This move would expand their footprint in Incheon, strengthening their position in the country’s competitive gaming and hospitality landscape, particularly as tourism continues to recover regionally.
Travellers International, together with Suntrust Resort Holdings, has confirmed that they will need an additional US$450 million to complete the Westside City integrated resort project in Parañaque, Manila. The total development cost is about US$1.25 billion, and the project is roughly 70% finished. They now target a phased opening in the third quarter of 2026.
Travellers International, under parent company Alliance Global Group (AGI), has confirmed plans to break ground on large integrated resorts (IRs) with casino components in Boracay and Mactan starting in 2026. The combined investment is expected to reach about US$700 million, with one major project at Boracay Newcoast and another in the Mactan Newtown area of Cebu. These IRs will include not just casinos, but luxury hotels, supporting amenities, and additional non‐gaming facilities to enhance the travel and leisure appeal of the destinations.
PAGCOR has recently unveiled a three-pronged gaming education framework aiming to combat the growing threat of illegal online gambling in the Philippines. Dr. Angelito Domingo, PAGCOR’s Vice President for Human Resource and Development, introduced this framework at the inaugural Asia-Pacific Regulators’ Forum held on September 11, 2025, at Newport World Resorts. The framework centers around player education, operator training, and public outreach, recognizing that technology, criminal motives, and social concern are combining to form what PAGCOR describes as a “perfect storm” that endangers the integrity of the legal gaming industry.
Author: Janice Chew • Monday, 15/09/2025
