Industry News

Operators considering Isle of Man switch after POGO tax hike

Published

6 years ago

October 8, 2020

Reading Time: 2 minutes

A significant tax hike for Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) could lead to an influx of companies looking to move to the Isle of Man, according to one industry expert.

Egaming companies in the Philippines are facing a more-than-double tax hike after new rules were signed into law.

POGOs – companies licensed by the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) to provide offshore gaming services – will have to pay 5% tax on turnover, replacing the previous 2% gross revenue tax.

Failure to comply could result in companies losing their PAGCOR licences and it seems many companies are exploring other options.

Alex Gardner, director of Isle of Man-based Affinity Group, which supports egaming operators looking to set up in the Isle of Man, said the company had noticed an uptick in enquires.

She said: “The Philippines has historically been a jurisdiction chosen by Asian-facing operators but, following the recent negative press surrounding POGO and more recently the tax increase, we have seen an influx of enquiries from operators who are looking for a suitable licence to either continue or start targeting the Asian market.

“The Isle of Man is perfect for this having developed an international reputation as being a leader in the egaming industry and is already home to some of the biggest Asian facing operators in the world.

“As a company that has helped many start-ups and established companies through the Isle of Man Licence licensing process it is understandable that many operators are considering moving their operations from the Philippines.”

The bill in the Philippines has been signed into law by president Rodrigo Duterte as part of the Bayanihan to Recover as One Act, as the Philippines aims to close gaps in its Covid-19 relief fund.

All 60 licensees were forced to halt operations as part of the Covid-19 lockdown and the government has seemingly taken this opportunity to crack down on companies failing to meet tax obligations. Only 29 have since been granted permission to resume activities.

Filipino politician Franklin Drilon said: “The Bayanihan 2 will more than double the tax collection from POGO, from Php7 billion (US$144.5 million) estimated collection in 2019 to approximately Php17.5 billion (US$361.2 million) this year because of the reforms we have introduced in the measure.

“All revenues from POGO will be used to fund the various types of assistance laid out in the Bayanihan 2 for all sectors affected by the pandemic.”

PAGCOR and the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) said in May that all POGOs and their service providers must fulfil certain prerequisites before being given the green light to resume activity, including settling any outstanding tax liabilities as certified by the BIR, updating payment of any regulatory fees, license fees, performance bonds or penalties owed to PAGCOR, and remittance of all regulatory fees.

AI

Blacklyte unveils AI-powered desktop gaming “Teammate” companion

Published

3 days ago

April 30, 2026

Wladimir P.

blacklyte-unveils-ai-powered-desktop-gaming-“teammate”-companion

Blacklyte has announced the Blacklyte AI Teammate, an AI-powered desktop gaming companion the company says is designed to react to gameplay and provide coaching-style assistance. Blacklyte said the product will be shown in base colors at LVL UP EXPO.

According to the company, the AI Teammate can guide players through levels, provide feedback on playstyle, and suggest alternative moves based on analysis of in-game decisions and potential outcomes. Blacklyte positions the device as a desk-based companion that integrates with its broader lineup of desks, chairs, and accessories.

“We at Blacklyte are excited to bring the Blacklyte AI Teammate to life. By creating this new desktop teammate, we are giving people a new way to connect with games. The Blacklyte AI Teammates are not just another robot; they are true partners who understand gamers, games, and how to get the win.” said Alex Liu, Blacklyte Founder and CEO. “Beyond gaming, the Blacklyte AI Teammate is a true partner who supports, adapts, and upgrades their new owner’s life. They are always there when needed, on the desk, in a game, and beyond.”

On hardware, Blacklyte said the device has a silicone body with a steel core for poseability and an LED face screen intended to display emotions and responses. The company said it connects to PCs through the Blacklyte app available on the Apple and Play Store, with the app supporting controls and firmware updates. Blacklyte also said additional colors and collaborations are planned in the future.

The post Blacklyte unveils AI-powered desktop gaming “Teammate” companion appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Andrew Cardno

Quick Custom Intelligence Launches QCI Metrics

Published

3 days ago

April 30, 2026

GamingAmericas.com

quick-custom-intelligence-launches-qci-metrics

Quick Custom Intelligence (QCI) a leading provider of casino operational intelligence software, announced the launch of QCI Metrics, a new anonymized data-sharing program that enables gaming and hospitality operators to benchmark performance using yesterday’s operating data—providing timely, actionable insights without exposing customer, financial, or personally identifiable information. This innovative solution extends beyond gaming machine ranking into host performance standardization.

Available through the Chatalytics.com portal and integrated into the QCI Platform, QCI Metrics transforms operational data—including game performance and host effectiveness—into standardized performance indexes.

While traditional benchmarking solutions rely on limited datasets or delayed reporting cycles, QCI Metrics delivers insights based on yesterday’s data—giving operators a timely, continuously updated view of how they are performing against peers across both gaming and player development.

All data shared in QCI Metrics is:

• Aggregated and normalized

• De-identified

• Abstracted at the property level using internal IDs

No transaction-level, player-level, or campaign-level data is ever shared.

“QCI Metrics gives operators the ability to see how they stack up against peers across player development and gaming in near-time, without compromising privacy. It’s a practical, secure way to unlock industry-wide insights,” said Andrew Cardno, Co-Founder and CTO of QCI.

QCI Metrics is designed to help operators quickly identify performance gaps, respond faster to trends, and adopt proven strategies in a highly competitive environment.

The post Quick Custom Intelligence Launches QCI Metrics appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.

Industry News

RAW iGaming unveils RAW Riches: A site-wide progressive jackpot overlay built for scale

Published

3 days ago

April 29, 2026

Wladimir P.

raw-igaming-unveils-raw-riches:-a-site-wide-progressive-jackpot-overlay-built-for-scale

RAW iGaming announces today the launch of RAW Riches, a site-wide progressive jackpot overlay designed to deliver jackpot moments without adding operational complexity.

Launching as part of the RAWVerse ecosystem, RAW Riches introduces a new approach to jackpots, prioritising seamless integration, player engagement, and operator control.

A fully embedded experience

RAW Riches introduces a multi-tier progressive jackpot layer deployable across an operator’s entire portfolio, regardless of game supplier. Unlike traditional jackpot mechanics that require separate integrations or fragmented systems, RAW Riches operates as a fully embedded experience within the operator’s brand, creating a single, unified jackpot.

Tom Wood, CEO of RAW iGaming, said: “The industry built jackpots in silos. We built one that connects everything.

“RAW Riches gives operators a site-wide jackpot running across every entity and every game supplier, configured to their exact needs and brand, all from a single solution.

“We pride ourselves on producing the industry’s most distinctive and disruptive game concepts and RAW Riches is no different.

“This is the kind of product that changes how operators think about jackpots entirely.”

A seamless player experience

Players opt in and continue playing as normal. When triggered, the jackpot experience takes over instantly. Every trigger results in a win, with no losing outcomes, before the player is returned to their original game to continue playing.

Scaleable without complexity

RAW Riches solves one of the industry’s most persistent operational challenges in scaling jackpots across multiple providers, brands, and markets. Key features include: