Fight against illegal iGaming a focus in 2025: Spectrum




December 10, 2024

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Fight against illegal iGaming a focus in 2025: Spectrum


Gaming industry consultancy Spectrum Gaming Group LLC, a specialist in topics related to the regulatory compliance of the regulated casino sector, has published its ‘International Top Ten Trends for 2025’ list, previewing the likely direction of the sector in the coming calendar year.


Spectrum expects that the “growing attention” from regulators and the gaming industry regarding “black market risks, especially in the online space” will continue into 2025.


“Illegal offshore online gaming continues its inexorable rise despite concerted efforts by regional law enforcement to crack down on organized syndicates operating across the region,” Spectrum said.


The consultancy noted: “The debate has shifted from arguments about the size of the black market to a better understanding of the reasons for displacement.


It added: “Regulators will become proactive in closing routes to illegal websites. Licensed operators are also challenged to consider whether their own suppliers – including content providers – are facilitating illegal gambling in other jurisdictions.”


The Philippines is in the process of shutting down offshore online gaming operations in the country.


On July 22, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said that Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) – now known as Internet Gaming Licensees (IGLs) – should close their business in that country by the end of the year.


Last month, the Philippine leader issued an executive order banning all offshore online gaming activities in the country. The ban includes existing operators, license applications, license renewals, cessation of operations and illegal offshore gambling activities.


The Philippines is one of the few countries in Asia Pacific that not only has a licensed casino industry open to locals, but also a licensed online gaming sector.


In its 2025 outlook, Spectrum said the Philippines “will likely be removed from the gray list of money laundering countries, but the country will be further scrutinized in subsequent peer-group reviews.”


The Philippines was added to the gray list of France-based watchdog, the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) in June 2021.


At the end of October, the FATF said the Philippines had done so eight “major reforms” implemented to strengthen the effectiveness of its anti-money laundering (AML) and counter-terrorist financing (CFT) regime.


Such reforms include “demonstrating that regulators are using AML/CFT controls to mitigate the risks associated with casino junkets,” the watchdog said.


Thai law


The consultancy highlighted Thailand as a topic to watch next year as the country became “the latest jurisdiction to throw its hat into the Asian casino gaming ring”.


“Analysts expect legislation confirming the establishment of one or more integrated resorts to pass through the Thai parliament in 2025,” Spectrum said.


“But the question remains whether Thailand will be able to attract top-tier operators in the absence of effective regulation,” it added.


Thailand’s planned entertainment complex law will legislate for casino resorts could be effective will be introduced into law in mid-October next year, Thai MP Chulapong Yukate said last week, speaking to GGRAsia on the sidelines of the Thai Entertainment Complex Summit in the country’s capital Bangkok.


Spectrum also expects further progress in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), as the country “continues its march to legalize gaming.”


So far there is only one recognized operator in the UAE. That is casino company Wynn Resorts Ltd, which is developing the Wynn Al Marjan Island casino resort in Ras Al Khaimah, one of the emirates.


US-based casino operator MGM Resorts International is developing a hotel project in Dubai, another emirate in the UAE. In September, the CEO of MGM Resorts said the company had done so casino license applied for in Abu Dhabi, another of the UAE’s emirates.


New strategies


In its 2025 outlook, Spectrum also said casinos across Asia will likely “continue to see a reduction in VIP activity” and will need to “initiate new marketing efforts to expand mass and premium mass markets.”


That’s due to the “slow but inevitable death of Asia’s junket business due to stricter government regulation and a crackdown on money laundering across the region.”


Another trend highlighted for 2024 concerns the rollout of so-called “smart gaming tables”which use radio frequency identification (RFID) technology to monitor the monetary integrity of games, according to Spectrum.


The consultancy said: “‘Get Smart’ is the prevailing theme across Asian gaming properties, with Macau casinos using smart-table technologies to combat lower margins and fiercer competition.”


In Singapore, the two casino resorts are making “major gambling and non-gambling investments in their properties, which will continue to pay dividends to the two licensees and to Singapore in the coming years,” the organization said.


Las Vegas Sands Corp, the promoter of Singapore’s Marina Bay Sands casino resort, expects one $8 billion expansion project should be completed by mid-2029.


The promoter of Resorts World Sentosa, Genting Singapore Ltd, has a Investment of SGD6.80 billion (US$5.07 billion). to upgrade the casino complex.










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