Asia
Macau casino stock prices surge after easing of travel restrictions
In a rare piece of positive news for the gambling and casino industry, casinos in Macau saw their stock prices surge this week after the neighboring province of Guangdong eased travel restrictions to allow more people to visit the gambling capital of the world.
Macau has since 2007 generated more gambling revenue than any place on Earth, outstripping Las Vegas. However, the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, and the subsequent travel bans, have severely damaged the Chinese region economically.
Figures from June reported a 97 percent decline in casino revenue year-on-year, the lowest decline in Macauâs history, while last monthâs reports meant Macau suffered year-on-year decline of more than 90 percent for three successive months.
Macauâs financial difficulties during the Covid-19 outbreak have been reflected in other gambling hotspots, including Las Vegas and New Jersey, with thousands of jobs lost and thousands more at risk.
However, this week stock prices rebounded in a big way, offering a glimmer of hope that Macau and its leading casinos are on the road to recovery. Galaxy Entertainment closed at a 6.2 percent gain having at one point surged to 11.1 percent, while Sands China â another prominent company on the Macau strip â closed at a five percent increase.
The stock surges came after Guangdong ended its 14-day quarantine requirements for visitors crossing the Guangdong-Macau border, starting from July 15. Instead of a mandatory 14-day quarantine, visitors must now hold âgreenâ health cards and present a negative Covid test that proves they tested negative within the seven days prior to arriving in Macau.
Considering that Guangdong â with a population of more than 113 million people â was responsible for around half of Macauâs annual visitors last year, this easing of restrictions is a massive boost to Macauâs economy, and economic experts believe the city will start to rebound as a result.
âWe expect the removal of the quarantine requirement will lead to a rebound in Macauâs gross gaming revenue following a 77 per cent drop in the first half of 2020, and help reduce gaming operatorsâ cash burn,â said Sean Hwang, an analyst at Moodyâs Investors Service.
âHowever, we expect the recovery in Macauâs gaming market to be slow, given continued restrictions and new requirements for travel, sluggish economic growth across the region, and the publicâs lingering fear of contagion.â
Macauâs biggest strength in ânormalâ times has proved to be its biggest weakness during the pandemic. A special administrative region in China, Macau welcomes around 35 million visitors each year, the overwhelming majority of whom visit to gamble and enjoy the entertainment associated with the casino resorts.
As the only region in China with legal gambling, Macau has had a near monopoly on Chinese visitors who wish to gamble, plus the many international tourists who visit to enjoy the luxury and decadence on offer in the city.
However, as travel bans ground domestic and international tourism to a halt, Macauâs over-reliance on the casino industry has become horribly exposed. While casino operators in North America, Europe, and other parts of Asia have been able to pivot toward online casino betting services to help soften the economic blow, Macau has been left stranded due to Chinaâs restrictions on online gambling.
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Macauâs reliance on casino revenue has not been lost on the regionâs head of government, Ho lat Seng, who in April criticized the âexcessive dependenceâ on the gambling industry as it became clear just how badly hit Macau had been by the economic effects of the pandemic.
âWith the outbreak of the novel coronavirus, the gaming and tourism industries registered significant declines, with profound impact on industries connected to these areas,â Ho said. âThis demonstrates, once again, the vulnerability and the enormous risks of the Macau economy’s excessive dependence on gaming and tourism industries.
âThe healthy and stable development of the gambling and tourism sector will continue for a certain period of time and will be the basis of the continued stability of the economy of Macau. Nevertheless, if the monolithism of the industrial structure remains unchanged, it will inhibit the sustainable development of Macao’s economy.â
While Macau undoubtedly needs to do more to diversify its economy, the easing of travel restrictions and the stock market surge for casino operators at least offers some good news after months of nothing but doom and gloom.
Asia
S8UL Esports Secures iQOO as Title Sponsor for its Pokémon UNITE and MOBA Legends 5v5 Rosters
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S8UL Esports, a global name in esports and gaming content, has onboarded high-performance smartphone brand iQOO as the Title Sponsor for its PokĂ©mon UNITE and MOBA Legends 5v5 rosters. With this strengthened alliance, iQOO deepens its commitment to supporting Indiaâs top esports talent while S8UL further accelerates its multi-title expansion ahead of a landmark competitive season.
iQOO has supported the growth of Indian esports for several years, working closely with top teams and major tournaments. Its continued association with iQOO SOUL, one of Indiaâs leading BGMI rosters, has contributed to the teamâs strong performances, including its recent win at the Chennai Esports Global Championship 2025.
Extending this support to S8ULâs newly signed rosters, the brand will equip athletes with its powerful, gaming-optimized smartphones to enhance their training and tournament preparation. As part of the partnership, the iQOO logo will feature prominently on the front of the team jerseys, and both rosters will now compete under the names iQOO S8UL PokĂ©mon UNITE and iQOO S8UL MOBA Legends 5v5.
âiQOO has been with S8UL for a long time, starting with our BGMI team, and their support has played an important role in our journey. Extending this partnership to our PokĂ©mon UNITE and MOBA Legends 5v5 teams is a natural next step as we grow across more titles. Our focus at S8UL is to build strong, well-prepared rosters in every game we enter, and working with a partner like iQOO helps us give our players the tools they need to compete with confidence in India and internationally.,â said Animesh Agarwal, Co-founder and CEO of S8UL Esports.

S8ULâs PokĂ©mon UNITE team, led by captain Manmohan Singh (AllMight) and comprising Rahul Sharad Lavhate (Kyurem), Deep Patel (Snowyy), Adnan Badshah (Badshahh), and Rudra Narayan Nayak (ReX), is widely regarded as the top roster in the South Asia region. The team has claimed three regional championships in the last three years and has consistently represented India on the international stage at the PokĂ©mon UNITE World Championship.
The organizationâs newly signed MOBA Legends 5v5 roster arrives with a wealth of experience and an impressive track record across Indiaâs community-led tournaments. The team includes in-game leader Mohammad Saad (Apex), Abhijeet Katkar (Abhi), Mehta Jay (J), Chirag Singh (Radium), Debasish Sana (Anti) and Anush N (Fear). Apex notably competed at the MLBB Mid Season Cup 2024 at the Esports World Cup, which featured a staggering USD 3 million (approx. INR 26.7 crore) prize pool.
The enhanced partnership with iQOO comes at a time when S8UL is rapidly scaling its multi-title presence. Earlier this year, S8UL became the first and only Indian organisation selected for the prestigious Club Partner Program of the Esports World Cup 2025, placing it among the worldâs elite esports organisations.
On the content front, the organization recently won the âEsports Content Group of the Yearâ for the fourth time in a row, while Co-Founder Animesh â8Bit Thugâ Agarwal earned the title of âEsports Personality of the Yearâ at the Esports Awards 2025, underlining the organisationâs unmatched influence across both esports and creator ecosystems.
By bringing two high-potential rosters under the iQOO S8UL banner, the organisation reinforces its drive to build winning line-ups across every title it enters. The newly branded iQOO S8UL PokĂ©mon UNITE roster will be the first to step into action, competing at the PokĂ©mon UNITE Asia Champions League 2026 â India from November 29.
The post S8UL Esports Secures iQOO as Title Sponsor for its Pokémon UNITE and MOBA Legends 5v5 Rosters appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Asia
BetConstruct AI to Participate in SiGMA South Asia 2025
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BetConstruct AI is preparing for a strong presence at SiGMA South Asia 2025, taking place from 1 to 2 December in Colombo, Sri Lanka. At stand P11, the company will showcase its latest innovations.
âThis event marks an important moment in our global journey, bringing our vision, our technology, and our creative ambition to one of Asiaâs most forward-looking gatherings,â the Company said.
âAs the regionâs iGaming community comes together, we step into the spotlight at Stand P11 to present an ecosystem shaped for modern operators. Visitors will experience more than a traditional showcase. They will enter an atmosphere where intelligence, innovation, and imagination meet, revealing how a unified product world can create meaningful progress across digital and retail channels.
âAt the core of this experience stand the two defining pillars of our ecosystem, the Sportsbook and the Casino Suite. Together, they show how coverage, personalisation, content depth, and consistent multi-channel performance create a reliable operational base. These pillars open the door to a broader environment where player interaction, loyalty frameworks, and operational creativity take centre stage.
âWithin this environment, The Last Battle introduces a new expression of progression and player value, turning loyalty into an active and dynamic journey. Our Land-Based Solutions bring the same level of intelligence into physical venues, supported by tools that elevate retail operations, and by Loya, our loyalty platform designed to strengthen relationships inside every shop. Alongside these stands Affigates, our standalone affiliate ecosystem developed for operators seeking reach, quality, and partnership within a trusted global framework.
âCompleting the picture is our AI Suite, the analytical layer woven through every product. CRM AI enhances engagement with behavioural insight. Umbrella AI reinforces operational stability through early risk detection and informed decision-making. The AI Game Recommendation System elevates personalisation by aligning each player with content suited to their behaviour. Together, they form the intelligence engine that drives our entire ecosystem.
âAs part of our presence at the event, we will also highlight our limited commercial offer, providing a 50% reduction on setup fees, tools, and services for all new agreements signed on or before 15 January 2026. This offer is designed to help operators plan their 2026 launches with stronger commercial terms and reduced initial investment.
âOur participation at SiGMA South Asia reflects our commitment to delivering technology that is adaptive, comprehensive, and ready for the opportunities emerging across the region. We invite all attendees to explore, engage, and experience the future of integrated iGaming in Colombo.â
The post BetConstruct AI to Participate in SiGMA South Asia 2025 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Asia
Stricter rules help shape a more responsible E-Games sector â PAGCOR
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The countryâs E-Games and E-Bingo operators are navigating a difficult but necessary transition toward stricter safeguards and more transparent operations that help shape a more responsible industry, PAGCOR Chairman and CEO Alejandro H. Tengco said.
Speaking during a gathering of the Association of Independent Licensed Gaming and Amusement Operators, Inc. (AILGAO) in Muntinlupa City on Wednesday, Mr. Tengco acknowledged that recent reforms have prompted adjustments across the E-Games sector.
He cited in particular the mandatory de-linking of e-wallets from online gaming platforms which he said is intended to strengthen the credibility of legitimate operators while preventing potential harm on young and vulnerable players.
âYou may be interested to know that in the third quarter of 2025, we recorded an industry GGR that was a bit lower than last year,â The PAGCOR chief said. âBut this reflects an industry transitioning to stronger and safer practices.â
He noted that the E-Games and E-Bingo segment still grew 17.4 percent in the third quarter compared with the same period last year, but admitted that the de-linking policy triggered a temporary GGR decline in August and September.
âWe know that many of you were affected by this sudden development,â he said. âHowever, we must not look at these reforms as obstacles but as safeguards designed to protect your players, your businesses, and the entire ecosystem you operate in.â
Mr. Tengco also warned that while legitimate licensees are adapting responsibly, illegal operators continue to expand aggressively without paying taxes or observing player protection protocols.
âThey expose players to financial fraud and data theft,â he said. âBut the worst part is, they damage the reputation of the entire industry, including the legitimate ones.â
Mr. Tengco also commended the licensed operators for their resilience and willingness to comply with more stringent rules.
âTonight, we recognize all of you for being the backbone of the legitimate online gaming sector: innovating and adapting quickly, and staying compliant even when the rules become stricter,â he said. âYou understand that integrity is the foundation of sustainability.â
During the event, AILGAO presented Mr. Tengco with a âGaming Exemplary Leadership Awardâ in recognition of his support for licensed operators and his efforts in championing safer and more transparent gaming standards nationwide.
AILGAO President Rafael Tabora, for his part, expressed gratitude for PAGCORâs initiatives and pledged the groupâs full cooperation.
âWe welcome these reforms because they strengthen the legitimacy of our operations and create a safer environment for our players,â he said.
The post Stricter rules help shape a more responsible E-Games sector â PAGCOR appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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