The future of the online gambling industry in Manila is bright, according to LeTou CEO Paul Fox. An industry veteran, Fox has spent the last decade in Asia and has seen the industry undergo massive changes in Asia. Fox took some time out to speak to our very own Becky Liggero Fontana about the development of the online gaming business in Manila.

Paul was quick to share some insight on how the industry in Manila had developed from its infancy into the powerhouse it is today. “I’ve been in Manila for over eleven years now and the industry has changed massively. When I moved out here it was very much in its infancy and it has exploded since then,” he said.

Paul pointed out that government intervention had played a substantial role in the development of the gaming industry in Manila.  “I would say one of the big differences has been that before President Duterte, the industry was administered by what was known as CEZA (Cagayan Economic Zone Authority) and there’s now PAGCOR (Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation). That’s changed a lot of things and the cost of doing business has gone up substantially and there’s a lot more competition in the market and there are far more Chinese nationals in the Philippines now than there were back then.”

For new operators looking to enter the Asian market, Paul shared his experience of developing industry relationships in Manila.  “I was already working in the industry in Europe and we came out to set up a sports and betting hub for trading,” he said. “We did this, so we could get access to low standard live-sport that we couldn’t get access to in Europe. We weren’t actually targeting the Asian market with sporting bet but just being out in Manila when the industry was in its infancy and you get to meet people and develop further.”