Malaysia’s Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil has announced a meeting with Meta executives on September 22, 2025, to confront what the government says is a surge in illegal online gambling advertisements and content on Facebook. The minister emphasized that many of the gambling-related posts taken down are just a small portion of what remains visible, and raised concerns about Facebook’s alleged failure to block payment methods (credit cards, etc.) used to promote content that is clearly illegal under Malaysian law.
DigiPlus, one of the Philippines’ biggest online gaming firms, has reportedly paused plans to acquire a physical casino, after identifying a potential location and entering into negotiation phases. Sources say that the deal came under pressure due to rising legislative and regulatory uncertainty—particularly amid recent proposals to ban or harshly regulate the online gambling sector.
The Corona Resort & Casino in Phu Quoc has reported a deepening financial loss in the first half of 2025, according to its promoter, Phu Quoc Tourism Development & Investment JSC. The company posted a loss of VND 564 billion (about US$21 million), up sharply from a VND 332-billion loss during the same period in 2024. Cumulatively, the firm's losses are now at VND 5.5 trillion (~US$208 million) as of June 30, underlining the magnitude of challenges the operator is facing.
Singapore is entering what many are calling a golden stretch for live entertainment. With multiple music festivals and headline concerts already announced, the stage is set for some of the biggest performances in recent years. This flurry of activity comes just ahead of the 2025 Formula One Singapore Grand Prix, which in itself is gearing up to be much more than a motorsport event. As noted by The Straits Times, three music festivals plus the F1 spectacle will jointly fill September and October with live-music energy.
Macau casino operator SJM Holdings Ltd. has had its long-term issuer default rating outlook changed from Stable to Negative by Fitch Ratings, though its rating at ‘BB-’ has been reaffirmed. The revision reflects what Fitch describes as “heightened uncertainty” around the company’s deleveraging efforts. Specifically, Fitch projects that SJM’s EBITDA leverage will rise above 8× in 2025, up from about 7× in the previous year, with a goal of bringing leverage down to under 5× by 2027.
Author: Janice Chew • Monday, 15/09/2025
