Today is the day! The 2026 IAG EXPO gets underway at Newport World Resorts from 10am this morning with the very first edition of the CiG IDEA Summit – a new high-level B2B forum examining the rapidly evolving online gaming landscape across Asia-Pacific, with a particular focus on the Philippines.
The one-day summit is designed for senior operators, suppliers, regulators, investors and other industry stakeholders, providing a focused day of intelligence, analysis and discussion around the regulatory, commercial and technological forces shaping the region’s rapidly developing igaming sector.
The CiG idea Summit will be followed by welcome networking event Manila After Dark, to be held at Grand Bar & Lounge.
Today’s CiG iDEA Summit program will open with a Keynote Address from PAGCOR Assistant Vice President of Remote Operations, Jessa Mariz R. Fernandez. Fernandez will also return later in the day for a discussion focused on the long-term sustainability of the regulated online gaming industry.
The first panel session, “How to Enter the Philippines? Why to Enter the Philippines?”, will provide a practical examination of the country’s new regulatory framework. Moderated by Complete iGaming Group Managing Editor APAC Ben Blaschke, the fireside discussion will feature Arden Consult Founder and CEO Tonet Quiogue and GLI Managing Director – APAC Richard Howarth, exploring the opportunities, requirements and strategic considerations for companies looking to enter the Philippine market.
“Localizing for Success in the Philippines” will then examine one of the most important considerations for suppliers seeking to establish themselves in the market: the importance of genuinely localized content. PhilWeb President Brian Ng, Casino Plus CEO Evan Spytma and DigiPlus Chief Global Growth Officer Erick Su will share lessons from their experience of developing products and strategies for Filipino players.
The morning program will conclude with “Outsourcing or Going It Alone: What’s the Right Model?” which will examine the different approaches being taken by the Philippines’ integrated resort operators as they expand into online gaming. Syntrii Founder and CEO Laurent Fresnel, Newport World Resorts Vice President of Online Gaming Operations Mark Gilbert and GameWorkz Founder and Chairman Shaun McCamley will discuss the advantages and challenges of building online capabilities internally versus partnering with specialist external providers.
After lunch, “Future-Proofing the Industry” will turn the focus toward the long-term health of Asia’s regulated online gaming sector. With CiG CEO Andrew W Scott moderating, PAGCOR’s Jessa Mariz R. Fernandez and NYCE Founder and Executive Chairman Harmen Brenninkmeijer will explore how operators, suppliers and regulators can build a sustainable industry rather than focusing on a short-term revenue grab – which may ultimately lead to industry collapse.
The summit will then broaden its scope beyond the Philippines with “The Rest of Asia”, examining the development of regulated iGaming markets across the region. Moderated by CiG Senior Contributing Editor Kelsey Wilhelm, it will feature Addisons Senior Foreign Lawyer Samuel Gauci, Entain Australia & New Zealand Director – Industry & External Affairs Andrew Hannan and MediaPro Vice President – Sales Danny Too as they consider which jurisdictions are emerging, where further growth may come from and what the future holds for Asia-Pacific online gaming.
The final substantive session, “Suppliers and Special Class BPOs,” will explore one of the more distinctive features of the Philippines’ regulated online gaming ecosystem. Moderated by Tonet Quiogue, the session will see Conexus Group CEO Rob Dowling, Sumsub Head of iGaming Product Kris Galloway and Head of Philippines Operations for Evoke Pia Gutierrez examine the role of Special Class BPOs, their regulatory framework and their growing importance to the wider gaming infrastructure.
The CiG iDEA Summit is presented by Complete iGaming, the iGaming-focused sister brand of Inside Asian Gaming, and forms part of the broader 2026 IAG EXPO, running from 14 to 17 September at Newport World Resorts in Manila. The summit is the first of three educational summit days, including the IAG Academy Summit on 15 and 16 September.
The full CiG iDEA Summit program is available at iagexpo.com/cig-idea-summit-program.
The full IAG Academy Summit program is available at iagexpo.com/summit-program.
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