SPiCE International 2026: Operators Discuss Trust, Compliance And Growth In Asia

SPiCE International 2026 will return for its third edition on 12–13 November at Shangri-La Mactan in Cebu, the Philippines, bringing together operators, suppliers and other industry stakeholders.

The Strategic Platform for iGaming Conference & Exhibition will focus on areas including product-market fit, payments, AI and market access across Asia.

Ahead of the event, Rhaymond Torres, Specialist – Casino Regulatory Compliance at Okada Manila, and Evan Spytma, CEO of Casino Plus, discussed the importance of regulatory compliance, player protection, localisation and technology as operators pursue growth in the region.

Okada Manila: Compliance Should Begin Before Integration

Discussing common compliance issues encountered when B2B suppliers integrate with major casino operators, Torres said regulatory requirements should be considered from the beginning of the process.

He said:

“One oversight is leaving compliance until the end. Suppliers should confirm PAGCOR requirements and the casino’s own approval process early, including the documents and testing needed. Getting these right before integration helps avoid delays and rework.”

Torres identified responsible gaming as a key regulatory priority for land-based casino operators in the Philippines.

He added:

“For me, it is responsible gaming. This means proper entry checks, effective exclusion measures, and staff who know when and how to help. With the industry under scrutiny, we need to show that we take player protection seriously. That is how we build trust and secure the industry’s future.”

Closer cooperation between commercial and compliance teams can also help businesses pursue growth while meeting regulatory requirements.

Torres said:

“Talk early, not just when approval is needed. Commercial teams should involve compliance while plans are still being developed, and regulatory teams should give clear, practical guidance. Agreeing on requirements, responsibilities, and timelines upfront helps both teams avoid last-minute problems.”

Looking ahead to SPiCE International 2026, he added: “Growth and compliance should go together. We can pursue business goals while protecting players and meeting regulatory requirements. Open discussions between operators and PAGCOR also help clarify requirements and address practical concerns.”

Casino Plus Highlights Relevance And Proof

For Casino Plus CEO Evan Spytma, B2B suppliers seeking partnerships need to demonstrate regulatory readiness, local relevance and evidence of product performance.

He said:

“Relevance and proof. We are not looking for a deck full of features.

“Every pitch goes through three questions. First, can you operate in a regulated market? The strongest pitches lead with their licences, their compliance record and the player protection tools built into the product.

“Second, will it bring fun to Filipino players? Our mission is to bring fun to people, so a title has to suit our audience, not just perform well on paper. Partners who have studied local preferences, from Perya-style formats to how Filipinos play on mobile, are ahead before the meeting starts.

“Third, can you prove it works, and will you keep sharing the data after launch? That tells us you plan to be a long-term partner, not a one-off vendor.

“The fastest way to lose the room? Promise aggressive player acquisition and say nothing about responsible gaming. In a regulated market, that is not ambition. It is a red flag.”

Three Opportunities In Philippine Gaming

Asked about potential opportunities in Philippine gaming over the next 18 months, Spytma highlighted the connection between online and offline experiences, locally relevant content and player trust.

He said:

“The numbers already tell you where the market is going. In 2025, e-games and online gaming overtook licensed casinos for the first time, accounting for just over half of total gross gaming revenue, according to PAGCOR. The question now is not whether players are online, but which operators will earn their long-term trust. I see three opportunities.

“First, bridging online and offline. Players increasingly want to experience the brands they play with in person. Our live casino partner, Evolution, opened its first Asian studio in Cebu in 2025, producing content made in the Philippines for Filipino players. Licensed operators that pair that kind of digital content with real-world experiences will build deeper loyalty than any bonus offer.

“Second, culturally rooted games. Filipino players respond to content that feels like theirs. Perya and Colour Game formats, local live tables and fast-paced game shows still have a great deal of room to grow, especially as global studios invest in titles built for this market.

“Third, trust as a product. The 2025 delinking of e-wallets from gaming platforms raised the bar on traceability, and illegal sites still compete for the same players. Operators that make safeguards visible, through verified payouts, independent surety bond protection and built-in responsible gaming tools, will win the long game.

“At Casino Plus, our ₱1-billion PhilFirst surety bond programme is one example of that commitment. Over the next 18 months, we intend to make those protections even more visible to players, so that choosing a licensed platform becomes the obvious decision, not a leap of faith.”

Technology Supports Faster Content Integration

Spytma also identified Casino Plus’ content integration architecture as a technology development that has improved operational efficiency.

He said:

“Our content integration architecture. On many platforms, adding a new studio means a long integration and real risk to live operations. We built ours so we can onboard a global partner progressively, title by title, while the platform keeps running.

“Our partnership with Peter & Sons is a good example. Their catalogue is rolling out to our players in phases through the rest of 2026 and into 2027, with Philippines-exclusive titles planned along the way. Every game goes through compliance and performance testing before launch, and we can measure how players respond from day one and adjust the roadmap accordingly.

“Live tables are another proof point. Live Baccarat remains one of the most-played games on our platform, and session-level data helps us decide when to open more tables and how to keep stream quality consistent at peak hours.

“That speed matters, but only if it sits on top of a strong compliance backbone. Our verification stack, from streamlined KYC onboarding to real-time transaction monitoring, reduces friction for legitimate players while keeping us strictly compliant.”

Spytma also pointed to Casino Plus’ handling of a ₱122,409,603 Aristocrat Dragon Link jackpot payout in September as an example of the importance of operational infrastructure and transparency.

He added:

“Players never see that infrastructure until the moment it matters most: a major payout. That test came in September, with the seamless, secure payout of a historic ₱122,409,603 Aristocrat Dragon Link jackpot, the biggest verified jackpot in Philippine slot machine history, surpassing a ₱99.99 million record that had stood for 19 months.

“It was witnessed by PAGCOR representatives and members of the media, and it was the sixth milestone jackpot we have paid since August 2024: nearly ₱1 billion in total, every peso paid in full. In a trust-sensitive market, that transparency is a competitive advantage.”

SPiCE International Awards Nominations Open

The SPiCE International Eventus Awards will also take place alongside the event, recognising individuals, products and businesses operating across Asia’s gaming industry.

Nominations remain open ahead of the November event and can be submitted through the SPiCE International Awards nomination page.

SPiCE International 2026 will take place at Shangri-La Mactan in Cebu, the Philippines, from 12–13 November.

Registration is available through the SPiCE International website, with a limited number of sponsorship and exhibition opportunities also remaining.