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Manila Bulletin devider Business devider The Stock Market devider Okada Manila bets on online gaming as Middle East crisis hits local casinos

Okada Manila bets on online gaming as Middle East crisis hits local casinos

Published May 18, 2026 12:00 am  |  Updated May 16, 2026 03:15 pm
Okada Manila, the integrated casino resort owned by Tiger Resort Leisure and Entertainment Inc. (TRLEI), is turning to its newly minted online gaming business to overcome severe structural headwinds and macroeconomic fallout from the Middle East crisis, which the company expects will weigh on performance for the rest of the year.
Tokyo-listed Universal Entertainment Corp. (UEC), the parent company of TRLEI, said the Philippine gaming market is facing intensifying competition, and the impact of geopolitical tension in the Middle East is anticipated to persist beyond the second quarter.
To accommodate guests who find it difficult to visit Okada Manila in person due to factors such as soaring fuel costs, the resort will continue to focus on online gaming services for the Philippine market, including “OKADA PLAY.”
“We position ‘OKADA PLAY’ as a service designed to carve out a niche in the highly competitive Philippine online gaming market as a leading challenger, offering a high-quality digital experience that sets itself apart from competitors and aligns with the premium standards of the ‘OKADA MANILA’ brand,” UEC said.
Okada Manila had earlier partnered with PhilWeb Corporation to provide a seamless and engaging user experience for its growing base of digital gamers.
Okada Manila intends to continue to focus on introducing new gaming products, driving innovation in the market, and enhancing its loyalty program.
“We are committed to providing consistently fresh and exciting experiences that elevate the gaming industry, while striving to offer our customers even more dynamic and engaging services,” UEC said.
For onsite gaming, UEC notes that the Philippine gaming market continues to face structural headwinds, and competition with other companies to acquire customers in both the VIP and mass markets is intensifying.
“Against this backdrop, Okada Manila, operated by the group, achieved results that exceeded those of the previous quarter, despite falling short of the same period of fiscal year 2025, by implementing measures such as revamping our loyalty program,” the firm said.
In regulatory filings denominated in Japanese Yen, the firm said the integrated resort posted a 92.8 percent plunge in operating profit to ₱8.9 million in the first quarter of 2026.
Net sales was lower by 16 percent at about ₱6 billion while EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization) dropped 55.7 percebnt to ₱792 million in the first quarter of 2026.
“The gaming market in Entertainment City, Manila, Philippines, remains in a period of adjustment; furthermore, due to the impact of the situation in the Middle East, the market as a whole continues to contract,” the company said.
Additionally, against the backdrop of structural changes in the VIP market, intense competition among companies to acquire mass-market customers continues, and customer acquisition costs are rising.
Although Okada Manila’s VIP turnover exceeded the same period last year, VIP revenue fell short of the prior-year figure due to a decline in the win rate.
Furthermore, while both turnover and revenue from table games and gaming machines were lower than in the same period last year, the resort was able to maintain an operating profit.
This was achieved by reducing selling, general, and administrative expenses through the optimization of fixed costs resulting from a review of its cost structure, as well as a decrease in depreciation expenses following the revaluation of assets in the previous fiscal year.
“We will continue to work on improving profitability by curbing unnecessary expenses and restructuring our services,” the company said.

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Okada Manila Tiger Resort Leisure and Entertainment Inc. Universal Entertainment Corporation
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