SPiCE International 2026 to address Asian regulation and growth in Cebu

The third SPiCE International conference and exhibition, organised by Eventus International, is scheduled for 12 and 13 November 2026 at the Shangri-La Mactan in Cebu, Philippines. The event is described as the Strategic Platform for iGaming Conference & Exhibition and is intended to bring together operators, technology suppliers and industry representatives to discuss growth opportunities across Asian markets.

The programme covers adapting products to local requirements, payment systems, artificial intelligence, access to regulated markets and player protection. The stated aim is an operational discussion of strategies for developing sustainable activity in a region with differing regulation, payment habits and consumer preferences. The SPiCE International Eventus Awards, recognising professionals, products and companies contributing to the gaming industry in Asia, will also be held during the event, and nominations remain open.

Rhaymond Torres, Specialist – Casino Regulatory Compliance at Okada Manila, said one of the most frequent errors by B2B suppliers is leaving regulatory compliance until the final stages of technical integration. He said suppliers should check PAGCOR requirements and casino approval procedures, including documents and tests, from the outset, and that handling these matters before integration helps avoid delays and repeated work.

Torres said responsible gambling remains the main regulatory priority for land-based casino operators in the Philippines, meaning adequate entry checks, effective exclusion systems and staff trained to recognise and intervene in problematic situations. He said the sector is subject to close scrutiny and operators must show they take player protection seriously, adding that growth and compliance must proceed together and that open dialogue between operators and PAGCOR helps clarify rules and address operational questions.

Evan Spytma, CEO of Casino Plus, said the company assesses B2B supplier proposals on whether a product can operate in a regulated market, whether it suits Filipino players' preferences, and whether there is concrete data on performance and a commitment to share results after launch. He said the best proposals start with licences, regulatory compliance history and player-protection tools built into the product, and that knowledge of local preferences, from games inspired by traditional Perya fairs to mobile usage, gives suppliers a competitive advantage.

Spytma said promising aggressive player acquisition without addressing responsible gambling is a warning sign in a regulated market. Over the next 18 months he identified three development opportunities for Philippine gaming: integration of online and offline experiences, content culturally close to the local audience, and trust as a distinguishing element of the offer. He cited PAGCOR data showing that in 2025 e-games and online gaming surpassed licensed casinos for the first time, accounting for slightly more than half of the sector's total gross gaming revenue.

On digital and physical integration, Spytma cited the collaboration with Evolution, which in 2025 opened its first Asian studio in Cebu to produce live content developed in the Philippines for the local audience. He also named games inspired by Filipino culture, such as Perya and Colour Game, local live tables and fast-paced game shows as segments with room for development, supported by international studios' investment in content designed for the national market.

On consumer trust, Spytma referred to the 2025 decision to end the direct link between electronic wallets and gaming platforms, and said transparency in payments, independent financial guarantees and integrated responsible-gambling tools can become decisive factors while illegal operators continue to compete for the same users. He cited Casino Plus's PhilFirst programme, which provides a PHP1bn financial guarantee through a surety bond, and said the company intends to make these protections more visible to players over the next 18 months.

Spytma said Casino Plus's content integration architecture allows new suppliers' games to be introduced gradually, title by title, without interrupting the platform. He cited the collaboration with Peter & Sons, whose catalogue will be distributed gradually during 2026 and 2027, with exclusive titles also planned for the Philippine market; each game undergoes compliance checks and performance tests before publication, and post-launch data is used to adjust commercial scheduling. He also cited Live Baccarat, among the most used products on the platform, where session analysis is used to optimise the number of available tables and maintain streaming quality at peak times, supported by simplified KYC procedures and real-time transaction monitoring.

Spytma recalled the payment in September 2026 of a PHP122,409,603 jackpot won on Aristocrat Dragon Link. According to Casino Plus, it was the highest verified jackpot in the history of Philippine slot machines, above the previous record of PHP99.99m, which had stood for 19 months. The payment took place in the presence of PAGCOR representatives and the media. Spytma said it was the sixth notable jackpot paid by the company since August 2024, for a total close to PHP1bn, paid entirely to winners.

The experiences of Okada Manila and Casino Plus will be among the contributions to the SPiCE International 2026 discussion, which is intended to give operators and suppliers a platform to compare growth strategies in the Asian market. Programme and participation information is available on the event's official website.