The first Monday in January signifies the start of the 2026 year for Inside Asian Gaming, wrapping up a well-deserved two-week break for our team. IAG keeps a skeleton staff over the break to cover the end of year GGR number for Macau and any other major stories, but it’s only from today that we are back to full strength, and our first IAG Breakfast Briefing of the year is published.
The Christmas tree is gone, the countdown has been counted, and Auld Lang Syne has been sung. With our full team now back on deck, it’s natural that today is the day that we look forward to the year ahead, and contemplate the likely events for the next 12 months, not only for the Asia-Pacific gaming industry, but for our own company too.
The January issue of IAG was published on New Year’s Eve, and our cover story takes a deep dive into predictions for 2026, not only our predictions but also with contributions from Kenneth Feng, appointed CEO of MGM China on 19 December, former Crown Resorts CEO Ciarán Carruthers, SVP of Aristocrat Gaming for Asia and EMEA Lloyd Robson, and President and COO of Solaire Resort operator Bloomberry Resorts Greg Hawkins. The story also includes predictions from analysts at Maybank Securities and Seaport Research Partners.
Below are some of the issues we are watching for in 2026, in the four largest markets in the region.
Macau:
- Full year GGR for 2025 was US$30.9 billion, and we expect 2026 to see a healthy increase on that.
- There’s now less than seven years to go in the concession period to the end of 2032. Will capex deployment start to suffer?
- What of the enormous US$16.3 billion the concessionaires have committed to spend on non-gaming? It will be fascination to watch.
The Philippines:
- The new Westside City in now in the hands of Newport World Resorts – how will they change the project compared to the plans of LET Group? Will it be a success?
- Hann Reserve in New Clark City is scheduled to open in February. Will it live up to the hype and see a rejuvenation of Clark and add to the bottom line for Hann?
- How will the PIGO industry play out? Will PAGCOR let it flourish, or will political pressure force the regulator to cut it back even more than it already has?
Australia:
- Can Star come back from the brink, under its new Bally’s and Investment Holdings ownership? Newly minted Chairman Soo Kim and CEO Bruce Mathieson certainly have their work cut out for them.
- Can Crown Resorts consolidate its business after 2025 saw its first profitable year in half a decade? How will Crown Sydney react to the changes at Star?
- Will the regulatory and political environment in Australia finally see the pendulum swing back towards a state of play in which casinos can thrive and be seriously viable businesses?
Singapore:
- Chen Si has joined Resorts World Sentosa as COO. Can he make a difference and see RWS claw back some of the market share it has lost to Marina Bay Sands over the years?
- Following recent completion of a multi-year US$1.75 billion expansion, Marina Bay Sands has committed an enormous US$8 billion on another huge expansion project for the property. It includes a fourth tower and much more, and is due for completion in 2031. Las Vegas Sands President Patrick Dumont will ascend to the role of Chairman and CEO from 1 March 2026. How will these developments affect the property in 2026?
- What of RWS’ own US$5 billion expansion project, RWS 2.0?
What to expect from IAG in 2026?
Last year IAG turned 20 years old, so we have our 21st birthday this year. But we’re not resting on our laurels, with a big year planned, including everything you’ve come to expect from IAG as well as some new initiatives. See below.
- IAGBB: As usual, you can expect IAG Breakfast Briefing in your inbox 8am Macau time every weekday. We’re beefing up our editorial team this year, so get ready for even more news and in-depth industry coverage!
- IAG magazine: As always you can expect our monthly magazine to hit your inboxes digitally before the calendar month begins, and to receive the hard copy in the days following. Crammed full of high quality opinion and analysis, these days our IAG mag articles are all deeper dives into the issues of the industry.
- MAD: As in prior years, expect three MADs in Macau and three in Manila. In both cities the first will be in April, and the last in December as our Christmas Party. We’re planning the middle one in Macau for July, and in Manila for September, as part of the IAG EXPO.
- TIP: The Industry Party returns in 2026 on Wed 13 May, during G2E Asia. The most popular networking event during the show!
- IAG EXPO: The IAG EXPO returns to Manila in 2026 from 7 to 9 September, with MAD, the 4th IAG Academy Summit, the 5th IAG Academy IR Awards and the 2nd IAG Exhibition, after the success of the inaugural exhibition in 2025. We learnt a lot from our 2025 exhibition and you can expect a major evolution in 2026!
- The Power 50: The 19th IAG Power 50 will be held in Macau on Fri 6 Nov 2026.
- New Macau: Our non-gaming economic diversification product, New Macau, is produced by our sister company O MEDIA. It will see a significant expansion with some new writers and new initiatives in 2026.
- New initiatives: It wouldn’t be IAG without a new idea or two, would it? This year we have two completely new initiatives planned. Watch this space!
- Complete Media Group: IAG merged with US-based CDC Gaming from 1 January 2025, and the two companies jointly launched a new title, Complete iGaming, with all three brands being wholly-owned by new parent company Complete Media Group. In 2026 IAG and CDC will edge a little closer together in a number of ways that make sense, with each still retaining its own unique brand and style under our “Regional expertise, worldwide” philosophy.
There’s never a dull moment in the Asia-Pacific gaming industry so I am sure IAG will be very busy covering all the developments that will no doubt roll out as the year progresses.
I wish all of our readers the very best in the year ahead, both in your business and personal lives. May it be a great one for all of us in our ever-exciting industry!
