{"id":4392,"date":"2026-10-29T11:37:52","date_gmt":"2026-10-29T08:07:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.leylaj.com\/en\/?p=4392"},"modified":"2026-10-29T11:38:05","modified_gmt":"2026-10-29T08:08:05","slug":"2-weeks-to-go-chairperson-maps-the-conversations-ahead-of-spice-international-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.leylaj.com\/en\/4392\/","title":{"rendered":"2 Weeks to Go: Chairperson Maps the Conversations Ahead of SPiCE International 2026"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Rules are evolving, payment habits are shifting and operators are raising the bar for the suppliers they back across Asia\u2019s gaming markets. SPiCE International 2026<\/strong>, the Strategic Platform for iGaming Conference & Exhibition<\/strong>, puts those changes on the table for its third edition on 12 \u2013 13 November<\/strong> at Shangri-La Mactan<\/strong>, Cebu<\/strong>, the Philippines<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Over two days, operators, suppliers, investors, technology leaders and regulators will focus on the practical questions: how to enter and localise, how to stay compliant, and how to turn conversations into partnerships.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Meet the Chairperson: Jonas Diego<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Ahead of the summit, Jonas Diego<\/strong>, Senior Gaming Consultant and Chairperson of SPiCE International 2026<\/strong>, shared his views on what international suppliers need to know, where the opportunity lies in Southeast Asia and the regulatory shifts to watch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Asked what lesson an international supplier attending for the first time most needs to learn about operating in Asia, Jonas<\/strong> said:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe single most important lesson an international supplier needs to learn is that Asia is not a homogeneous territory, and there is no \u2018one-size-fits-all\u2019 product, operational strategy, or solution. It is a complex tapestry of wildly different regulatory environments, cultural preferences, payment systems, and player behaviours.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

You have to put in the work by truly immersing yourself, getting to know the market you\u2019re entering and the people you\u2019re going to be selling to.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

With Southeast Asia shifting toward regulated domestic frameworks, Jonas<\/strong> was specific about where the biggest potential sits:<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe most exciting commercial opportunity in Southeast Asian iGaming today is capturing the licensed domestic market in the Philippines. Licensed operators accounted for 62% of the Philippines\u2019 estimated revenue benchmark. The remaining 38% unlicensed revenue leakage represents a massive opportunity.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

While neighbouring ASEAN nations are tightening prohibitions on online gambling or restricting legal play strictly to land-based integrated resorts (such as Thailand’s Entertainment Complex initiative), the Philippines stands alone as Southeast Asia’s only fully regulated, high-growth domestic iGaming market.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Looking 18 months ahead, Jonas<\/strong> highlighted the regulatory shift he believes will define the region:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cRegulators across ASEAN (including the Philippines, Vietnam, and Indonesia) are shifting focus from software licensing to financial infrastructure enforcement.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

For years, government policy across Southeast Asia focused primarily on software licensing, domain blocking, and domain-name service (DNS) takedowns to combat illegal or unauthorised online gambling. Regulators quickly realised this approach was an unending game of \u2018whack-a-mole\u2019. The strategic shift toward financial infrastructure enforcement recognises a simple commercial reality: an illegal gambling platform cannot operate if it cannot process player deposits or settle payouts locally.

It has the potential to be a true game changer.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Drawing on his time as Country Manager in the Philippines, Jonas<\/strong> outlined what the country offers for iGaming operational setups:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe operational landscape in the Philippines stands out as a strategic choice for iGaming operators, driven by key regional factors:<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 Established Regulatory Clarity.<\/strong> Unlike many jurisdictions navigating grey areas or recent policy shifts, the Philippines provides a clear, mature regulatory environment. Operating within a defined framework under PAGCOR allows companies to build long-term operational hubs, secure clear banking and corporate structures, and maintain global compliance standards.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 High-Calibre Shared Services & Technical Talent.<\/strong> The country\u2019s mature BPO and shared services ecosystem means operators can rapidly scale specialised teams across a wide range of business functions while enjoying cost-to-value efficiency without compromising output quality or workforce stability.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 Deep Local Market Domain Knowledge.<\/strong> The Philippines is unique in being both a premier operational hub for global platforms and a high-growth domestic iGaming market. Local talent possesses firsthand familiarity with player acquisition, local digital payment ecosystems, and retention strategies tailored to Asian market dynamics.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

What will dominate the conversation in Cebu? As Chairperson, Jonas<\/strong> shared the priorities he expects to take centre stage:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWith the full transition away from grey-market offshore hubs, I expect conversations will focus heavily on several key issues like PAGCOR\u2019s tax restructuring and MGF, strategies for capturing the 38% unlicensed market leakage, etc.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

That being said, I also expect several other topics to come up:<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n