CROATIA CASINO INFO

Philippines is Only Asian Country Offering Online Casino Licenses

Currently, the Philippines is the only Asian country to offer Internet gaming licenses for online casino operators through the Cagayan Special Economic Zone, providing a hub complete with Internet server, telecommunication connections, collection payment system and toll-free telephone operations for Internet gaming companies.

Since the Philippines passed its Interactive Gaming Act in 2003, over 40 online gaming companies have obtained licenses. For the Philippines, allowing online casino was the next logical move since it already has several land-based casinos, said Tom Hall, president of gambling software provider Playtech Asia. Moreover, the government could earn tax dollars from gaming activities outside country. Online casino operators in the Philippines pay a 2 percent tax on their gross winnings.

"It's the norm for the licensing country to ban operators from marketing to the local population, as done in places such as Costa Rica and Antigua," said Hall, adding that the gambling software that Playtech produces for operators based in the Philippines is set up to ban local Internet addresses.

"Obviously, we'd prefer the government to regulate online gambling and tax it, rather than prohibiting it completely," he said.

Singapore said that with two major casinos in the pipeline, online casino operators in the region are now hoping that Singapore will consider issuing Internet gaming licenses as well.

The publication quotes Tom Hall as saying: "Singapore has fantastic technical support and infrastructure. Given a choice between the Philippines and Singapore, many will probably prefer Singapore."

Gaming experts at the Asian Casinos Executive Summit agreed that online gaming - which makes up a mere 5 percent of the $250 billion gaming market - is poised to grow, especially in Asia.

According to Peter Kjaer, chief executive of DrHo888.com which is hosted in Costa Rica, Singaporean players make up around 5 percent of annual turnover, or as much as the whole of North American bets on the website.