Bloomberry launches FUNaloMAX online gaming platform for young, mobile-first players

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The Backstory

Bloomberry’s digital push follows a market reset

Bloomberry Resorts Corp.’s launch of FUNaloMAX comes after a sharp reset in the Philippine gaming market, where land-based casino operators are moving faster into domestic online gaming as offshore gambling exits the scene. The company, controlled by Enrique Razon Jr., has been building toward a broader online strategy for months, positioning digital products as a way to reach Filipino players beyond the floors of its Solaire-branded integrated resorts.

The latest platform is not Bloomberry’s first move online. It follows the company’s earlier rollout of MegaFUNalo and sits alongside Solaire Online, giving the operator a segmented digital portfolio aimed at different customers. Solaire Online is aligned with the group’s premium resort identity, while FUNaloMAX is designed for younger, mobile-first players seeking faster formats and more mainstream entertainment. That distinction is central to Bloomberry’s strategy: use the Solaire brand where luxury matters, and build separate products where mass-market scale and local cultural cues drive engagement.

The timing reflects a wider industry pivot. The Philippines has become one of Asia’s most closely watched regulated online gaming markets as operators look to replace lost offshore-linked revenue and capture domestic demand. The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. has projected the country’s igaming sector could reach PHP450 billion to PHP480 billion in 2025, underscoring why casino groups are racing to secure online market share.

From revenue defense to growth strategy

Bloomberry’s online expansion began as a response to revenue pressure from the ban on Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators. Razon told shareholders the company planned to launch a new mainstream electronic gaming brand in 2025 to complement Solaire and broaden its revenue base. The move was framed as both defensive and opportunistic: offset the decline tied to Chinese offshore-linked business while tapping into a regulated local market with rapid growth potential.

That plan was detailed in Bloomberry’s proposal to launch an online gaming platform to recover lost revenue, which described the product as part of a long-term effort to strengthen the company’s mass-market presence. Razon said the platform would bring Bloomberry’s online gaming entertainment to Filipinos nationwide, moving the group beyond its dependence on physical resort visitation.

The pivot also coincided with Bloomberry’s land-based expansion. The company has continued to invest in Solaire Resort North and Solaire Entertainment City, but online gaming offers a different route to scale. Integrated resorts require large capital spending and are tied to specific locations. Digital platforms can reach customers across the country, collect user data and run promotions at a speed that traditional casino floors cannot match.

That makes FUNaloMAX part of a broader diversification effort rather than a stand-alone launch. Bloomberry is attempting to create a portfolio in which land-based resorts, premium online gaming and mass-market mobile entertainment support one another, reducing exposure to shifts in tourism, VIP play or foreign-linked demand.

MegaFUNalo tested the concept

Before FUNaloMAX, Bloomberry entered the online market through MegaFUNalo, a platform that combined casino games with free movie streaming. The product’s soft launch, full launch schedule and payment integrations were outlined in Bloomberry’s launch of an online gaming site featuring free movie streaming. The platform included poker, roulette, blackjack, slots, arcade games and films from Viva, with payments supported through UnionBank, GCash, GrabPay and BPI.

That product showed Bloomberry was not trying to copy the standard local online casino model. Analysts noted that many Philippine online platforms offered similar game libraries under different brands. MegaFUNalo’s mix of gaming and entertainment gave Bloomberry a way to differentiate itself and test whether noncasino features could widen the addressable audience.

The approach also required heavy promotion. Abacus Securities Corp. suggested Bloomberry had budgeted PHP2 billion per quarter to boost visibility, a sign that management understood the cost of entering a market where digital incumbents already had scale. Early profitability was expected to be challenged by marketing expenses, competition and revenue-sharing arrangements with third-party developers.

FUNaloMAX appears to carry lessons from that first phase. Bloomberry is emphasizing live studio formats, arcade-style mechanics and Filipino gaming traditions, rather than presenting the platform only as another online casino. It is also highlighting in-house technology, a notable shift from relying primarily on outside suppliers or generic product stacks. That decision could give the company more control over user experience, content design and margins if the platform gains traction.

Local content became a differentiator

Bloomberry’s online strategy has increasingly leaned into Philippine-made games and local themes. MegaFUNalo’s partnership with Gioco, covered in Bloomberry Resorts’ online casino partnership with Gioco to launch local-themed games, brought titles such as Jeepney Go and Cash Cash Fiesta to the platform. The deal was presented as a way to deepen the product’s local identity and support Filipino game development.

That partnership matters for FUNaloMAX because the new platform is being marketed around familiar Filipino gaming traditions and culturally resonant entertainment. In a crowded field, local content can create a stronger connection with players than imported slots or standard table-game replicas. It also allows Bloomberry to position itself as a domestic entertainment company, not merely a land-based casino operator extending its license online.

The emphasis on Filipino-made or Filipino-themed content also helps address one of the risks facing large integrated resort operators online: brand mismatch. Solaire is associated with premium resort gaming and hospitality. A mass-market mobile product requires a different voice, pricing structure and user experience. By separating Solaire Online, MegaFUNalo and FUNaloMAX, Bloomberry can target distinct audiences without diluting the resort brand.

Gioco’s role also points to a broader industry issue. If online gaming growth continues, local studios may benefit from rising demand for content tailored to Philippine culture. Operators that control distribution can become important gateways for developers, while developers can help operators stand out in a market where payment methods, bonuses and game categories often look similar.

Competition is widening beyond casino floors

Bloomberry’s push is unfolding in a market where rival operators and technology providers are moving quickly. DigiPlus Interactive has built a major head start, reporting 40 million users in 2024, double its 2023 figure. That growth was cited in Bloomberry Resorts Corp.’s plan to expand its online gaming offering in the Philippines, which also noted the challenges facing new entrants trying to compete with established digital platforms.

DigiPlus executives have argued that online gaming rewards early scale. A large user base lowers acquisition costs, improves brand recognition and creates more data to refine promotions and products. For Bloomberry, the counterweight is its Solaire reputation, financial resources and ability to connect digital products with physical resort assets. Still, the company must spend aggressively and execute quickly if it wants to narrow the gap.

Competition is not limited to direct online casino brands. PhilWeb has been building infrastructure for operators that want digital reach without developing their own technology from scratch. Its nationwide online-to-offline model with FBM Philippines, described in PhilWeb’s launch of an online gambling platform across FBM gaming machines, shows how retail venues and online functionality are converging. PhilWeb also partnered with Hann Casino Resort on Hann Online, giving other integrated resorts a route into online gaming through third-party technology.

That contrast makes Bloomberry’s in-house approach significant. By developing and controlling its own platforms, the company is seeking independence from vendors and more flexibility in product design. The trade-off is higher execution risk. Technology, compliance, payments, game operations and customer support all become core capabilities rather than outsourced functions.

The stakes for the Philippine market

FUNaloMAX arrives as regulators, operators and investors are testing how large the domestic online gaming market can become under a legal framework. For the government, a regulated shift to local igaming offers tax revenue and oversight after the politically fraught POGO era. For operators, it opens a path to growth that is less dependent on international arrivals or VIP junket-style play.

For Bloomberry, the stakes are especially high. The company has invested heavily in physical resorts and now must prove it can compete in a digital market shaped by speed, product iteration and user acquisition. FUNaloMAX is a sign that Bloomberry does not want online gaming to be a defensive add-on. It wants a differentiated platform portfolio capable of serving premium resort customers, mainstream players and mobile-native users.

Whether that strategy succeeds will depend on execution. The company must convert brand trust into app usage, manage promotional costs and keep content fresh in a market where rivals can copy features quickly. It also must navigate regulatory scrutiny as online gaming expands. The launch marks another step in the industry’s shift from casino floors to phones, with Bloomberry betting that local identity, proprietary technology and segmented brands can give it an edge.