Inside Asian Gaming is delighted to announce the full program for the 2026 IAG Academy Summit has been released, featuring two days of high-level discussion exploring the opportunities, challenges and trends shaping Asia’s rapidly evolving gaming and integrated resort industry.
To view the full program, visit www.iagexpo.com/summit-program.
Taking place on 15 and 16 September at Manila’s Newport World Resorts, the IAG Academy Summit forms the centerpiece of IAG EXPO week, bringing together senior executives, operators, regulators, suppliers and industry experts from across the region.
The 2026 program features a wide-ranging mix of keynote addresses, fireside chats and panel discussions covering some of the most important issues facing the industry today – from emerging markets and artificial intelligence to player data, facial recognition, headwinds facing South Korea’s casino market and the evolution of the Philippines’ gaming sector.
Day 1 of the IAG Academy Summit on Tuesday 15 September will open with a Keynote Address from Alejandro H. Tengco, Chairman and CEO of PAGCOR, who will provide an update on the regulator’s ongoing efforts to decouple its regulatory and operating roles, as well as his vision for the future growth of the Philippine gaming industry.
Other Day One highlights include “Vietnam in Focus: A Market on the Move,” featuring Hoiana Resort & Golf executives Alan Teo and David Jorden; “Emerging Markets,” examining opportunities across Japan, Sri Lanka, Laos and beyond; and “The Japan Effect: What Happens Next in Northeast Asia?”, which will explore the regional implications of Japan’s emerging IR market and particularly what South Korea is doing to ward off the threat.
The program will also examine the increasingly important role of technology, with sessions on facial recognition, player data and the convergence of land-based and online gaming.
Day Two will open with a fireside chat between Crown Resorts CEO David Tsai and IAG Vice Chairman and CEO Andrew W Scott, exploring Tsai’s transition into the role, Crown’s return to suitability and the company’s efforts to drive profitability across its three Australian resorts.
The second day will also feature a deep dive into Metro Manila’s locals gaming market, a discussion of the current and future applications of AI in gaming, and an operators panel bringing together senior representatives of the Philippines gaming industry: Rod Hackman of Hann Casino Resort, Greg Hawkins of Bloomberry Resorts Corp and Sean Knights of NUSTAR Resort and Casino.
The supplier perspective will be represented by senior Asia-Pacific executives from Aristocrat Gaming, Konami, IGT and Light & Wonder, who will discuss how suppliers are innovating to meet the needs of Asia’s next generation of players.
The summit will conclude with “The Era of Leisure Tourism,” examining how integrated resorts across Asia are increasingly using non-gaming attractions such as golf, concerts and other hospitality offerings to differentiate themselves and broaden their appeal.
“Every year we aim to make the IAG Academy Summit a genuine reflection of where the industry is heading, rather than simply where it has been,” said Andrew W Scott, Vice Chairman and CEO of Inside Asian Gaming.
“This year’s program brings together an exceptional group of leaders and experts to tackle some of the biggest questions facing our industry – the rise of new markets, the impact of technology and AI, the changing competitive landscape and the continued evolution of the integrated resort model.
“With the Philippines itself undergoing such significant change, Manila is the perfect setting for these conversations.”
The 2026 IAG Academy Summit is part of IAG EXPO 2026, taking place from 14 to 17 September at Newport World Resorts, Manila. The wider IAG EXPO week also includes the CiG iDEA Summit, welcome event Manila After Dark, the IAG Academy IR Awards and the invitation-only The Regulators Forum.
RelatedPosts
