A recent survey conducted by the Hokkaido prefectural government revealed growing momentum for developing an integrated resort (IR) with a casino on the island. Of the region’s 179 municipalities surveyed, 79 expressed support for such a project. Notably, Tomakomai and Hakodate—two key cities in Hokkaido—stood out by separately voicing their interest in hosting the resort.
The Supreme Court of India has agreed to take over all petitions contesting the recently enacted Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act, 2025, which received presidential assent on August 22. The law imposes a blanket ban on all real-money games and online games involving monetary transactions, a move that has sparked widespread concern across the country’s fast-growing gaming sector. Multiple operators and stakeholders have already filed legal challenges, urging the courts to halt the law’s implementation and reconsider its impact on both businesses and players.
Sri Lanka has set an ambitious target of welcoming 500,000 visitors from India in 2025, positioning Indian tourists as a cornerstone of its tourism recovery initiatives. With demand for short-haul travel rising and India currently leading as Sri Lanka’s top source market, the goal reflects both geographic convenience and strategic focus on high-growth potential segments like weddings and MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions) tourism.
In a keynote delivered at the IAG Academy Summit in Manila, PAGCOR Chairman and CEO Alejandro Tengco revealed that the agency has formally submitted documentation to the Governance Commission for Government-Owned and Controlled Corporations (GCG) seeking approval to privatize its Casino Filipino properties. This move marks a significant step in decoupling PAGCOR’s simultaneous regulator and operator roles, a structure Tengco likened to “a referee also playing on the same court.”
Vietnam’s The Grand Ho Tram—under the ownership of Warburg Pincus and Masterise Group—is moving ahead with bold proposals to construct a high-speed, four-lane expressway, improving connectivity to the soon-to-open Long Thanh International Airport. Their vision comes at a pivotal moment as Long Thanh, set to be Vietnam’s largest aviation hub, edges closer to its projected launch in 2026. The proposed expressway spans roughly 42 km and aims to slash transit times between the resort and the airport, which currently stands at a hefty 78 km.
Author: Janice Chew • Tuesday, 09/09/2025
