The owner of a Philippine casino has chosen DigiPlus to power its iGaming expansion.
International Entertainment Corporation (IEC), operator of the LaVie Resort & Casino Manila, confirmed via a Hong Kong Stock Exchange notice that it has entered into a non-exclusive agreement with Total Gamezone Xtreme Incorporated (TGXI), a subsidiary of DigiPlus.
TGXI will provide the company’s platform with a gaming software system, game aggregation, game content, and technical support after IEC’s subsidiary, New Coast Leisure Inc., received an Electronic Games Operator licence from PAGCOR in February 2025.
The announcement also builds on the growing relationship between DigiPlus and IEC, as the Philippines’ largest gaming operator currently holds HK$1.6 billion in convertible bonds in IEC. If fully converted, it would give DigiPlus a 53.89% controlling stake in IEC.
IEC noted the economic potential of the Philippines’ gaming market, citing data that suggests the sector could be worth $9.87bn by 2033.
According to PAGCOR, the electronic games segment generated revenue of P201.12bn (£2.48bn in 2025), a growth of 30% compared to the previous year. However, this momentum has been somewhat tempered by the economic conditions created by ongoing geopolitical tensions in the Middle East.
Despite this, IEC said that its foray into iGaming would ‘broaden the group’s revenue base’ and ‘create new growth drivers’.
“The Directors are of the view that the Online Gaming sector in the Philippines is undergoing rapid expansion, supported by favourable government policies, technological advancement, and increasing market demand,” the company’s statement added.
IEC is not the only Philippine casino operator to recognise the potential of iGaming amid the faltering performance of the country’s licensed casino sector.
Tiger Resort, Leisure and Entertainment, the owner of Okada Manila, partnered with PhilWeb Corporation to launch OKADA PLAY in May.
Like IEC, Tiger Resort said the decision was made to ‘capture new revenue opportunities’, after a weakened financial performance in 2025 for its casino resort.
PAGCOR reported that the Philippines’ casino sector recorded overall gross gaming revenue of P182.5bn, a near 10% year-on-year decline compared to 2024.
Although overall gaming revenue has been hit by the impact of the ongoing conflict between the US, Israel and Iran, spiking the cost of living in the Philippines, PAGCOR’s Chair, Alejandro Tengco, said that he remains optimistic that ‘consumer confidence and discretionary spending will gradually recover’ in the long-term when geopolitical tensions stabilise.
