IEC and DigiPlus ready to launch new Philippines online gaming platform after securing all licenses
A subsidiary of Hong Kong-listed International Entertainment Corp (IEC) linked to the group’s LaVie Resort & Casino in Manila says it is ready to launch a new online gaming platform in the Philippines after receiving all required licenses from gaming regulator PAGCOR.
IEC said that New Coast Leisure Inc (NCLI) would launch the platform “in our about late August or September 2026” as per a previously announced partnership with local online gaming giant DigiPlus Interactive Corp. DigiPlus is the company that earlier this year paid IEC HK$1.6 billion (US$204 million)1 HKD = 0.1276 USD
2026-08-31Powered by CMG CurrenShift to acquire subscription notes which will, upon conversion, give it a controlling 53.89% stake in IEC.
The online partnership is heavily weighted towards DigiPlus and its subsidiary Total Gamezone Xtreme Inc (TGXI), which is entitled to 97% of gross gaming revenues generated compared with just 3% for NCLI. TGXI will provide the software and systems, aggregate games, provide game content and handle tech support, while NCLI holds the PAGCOR licenses, will operate the platform and handle compliance.
IEC said it is now licensed to provide electronic casino games, electronic bingo games, online poker games and specialty games, although it will initially focus on electronic casino games that utilize a Random Number Generator. It therefore clarified that the offering will not involve any live dealers.
However, IEC said it does intend to expand into land-based electronic gaming terminals in the next phase, including online table games and online slot machines linked to its LaVie integrated resort.
The new online gaming platform is currently undergoing trial operations, the company explained, while NCLI and TGXI are in the process of refining their operating procedures to address internal control deficiencies identified in a recent internal control report. None of these are described as being significant, primarily relating to minor KYC and AML revisions.
IEC previously detailed its reasons for partnering with DigiPlus on this online gaming business, stating, “The Directors are of the view that the Online Gaming sector in the Philippines is undergoing rapid expansion, supported by favorable government policies, technological advancement and increasing market demand. Participation in this sector is expected to broaden the Group’s revenue base, improve operational scalability and create new growth drivers for the Group.
“The cooperation enables NCLI and TGXI to jointly commence Online Gaming operations under and with the benefit of the NCLI Online Gaming License.
“This structure allows the Group to capitalize on TGXI’s established Online Gaming infrastructure, significantly reducing the time and resources required to build a platform from the ground up. Through the cooperation, the Group is positioned to enter the Online Gaming industry efficiently, compliantly and competitively, thereby enhancing its strategic capabilities and delivering improved returns to shareholders.”
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The Backstory
A digital launch tied to a land-based reset
International Entertainment Corp.’s planned Philippines online gaming launch is the next step in a broader effort to reposition the Hong Kong-listed company from a Manila casino operator into a hybrid gaming business. The company’s New Coast Leisure Inc. subsidiary, which is linked to LaVie Resort & Casino in Manila, has secured the licenses it needs from the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. to offer online gaming. That clears the way for a platform expected to go live around late August or September 2026 with DigiPlus Interactive Corp. as its operating partner.
The launch did not emerge in isolation. IEC began laying the groundwork after New Coast Leisure received an Electronic Games Operator license from PAGCOR in February 2025. By mid-2026, the company was openly weighing digital gaming investments and potential partnerships, saying it had begun feasibility studies and engaged legal and internal control advisers to assess compliance, anti-money laundering procedures and operating controls. That earlier move, described in IEC’s push into the Philippines igaming sector, showed that management saw online gaming as a way to broaden revenue beyond the casino floor.
The timing also tracks with the physical transformation of IEC’s Manila property. The company took over full operations of the former PAGCOR-run casino at New Coast Hotel Manila in May 2024, after receiving a provisional casino license in 2023. It then rebranded the property as LaVie Resort & Casino, part of a redevelopment program intended to turn the site into a larger integrated resort. Inside Asian Gaming reported that the US$1 billion transformation of LaVie Resort & Casino was targeted for completion by year-end, underscoring how IEC’s online strategy is being paired with a major land-based investment.
DigiPlus brings scale, systems and a controlling stake
DigiPlus is central to the plan because it already operates one of the Philippines’ largest digital gaming ecosystems. The company runs BingoPlus, ArenaPlus and GameZone, giving it product, payments, marketing and player engagement infrastructure that IEC would otherwise need years to build. Under the partnership, DigiPlus subsidiary Total Gamezone Xtreme Inc. will provide the software, systems, game aggregation, content and technical support, while New Coast Leisure will hold the licenses, operate the platform and handle compliance.
The economics reflect that division of labor. Total Gamezone Xtreme is entitled to 97% of gross gaming revenue generated by the platform, while New Coast Leisure receives 3%. For IEC, the arrangement sacrifices near-term revenue share in exchange for faster market entry, lower technology risk and access to an established operator. For DigiPlus, it creates a compliant route to connect its digital operations with a land-based casino resort.
The commercial partnership sits alongside a larger capital transaction. DigiPlus agreed to acquire HK$1.6 billion, or about US$205 million, in IEC subscription notes. On full conversion, DigiPlus would hold 53.89% of IEC, giving it control of a company whose main asset is LaVie. IEC has framed the investment as a way to improve liquidity and support expansion, while DigiPlus has said adding a land-based platform would strengthen its omnichannel entertainment network.
DigiPlus’ growing influence over IEC was also reflected in board changes. In March 2026, former 888 Holdings and Playtech executive Brian Mattingley joined IEC as an independent non-executive director. His appointment brought international online gaming and supplier experience to a company preparing to operate under tighter digital compliance demands. Mattingley also joined IEC’s audit, nomination and remuneration committees, positions that matter as the company addresses internal controls and integrates online operations with a casino-resort platform.
Philippines market momentum raises the stakes
The Philippines has become one of Asia’s more active regulated online gaming markets, with PAGCOR supporting licensed electronic gaming while tightening oversight around anti-money laundering, know-your-customer checks and platform controls. IEC has said the sector is expanding because of favorable policy, technology development and rising demand. Those conditions explain why a traditional casino operator would seek to move online before digital competitors capture more of the market.
DigiPlus’ recent earnings show both the opportunity and the pressure. The company reported a sharp second-quarter profit increase in 2026, with net income rising 124% to PHP6.98 billion. As detailed in DigiPlus’ second-quarter results, active users continued to grow across its platforms, while monthly average bettors and depositors reached 4.68 million, up 26% from the prior quarter. The company said improved tax and operating efficiency, stronger advertising returns and investment in research and development supported earnings.
At the same time, DigiPlus reported that gross gaming revenue declined 9% from the previous quarter, reflecting higher customer acquisition costs and softer player spending. That mix of profit growth and revenue pressure illustrates why the company is pursuing additional channels. A land-based foothold can offer brand visibility, player acquisition and a physical customer touchpoint, while an IEC-linked online platform can expand the reach of LaVie beyond the Manila gaming floor.
The initial product scope is deliberately limited. IEC has said the platform will first focus on electronic casino games using a random number generator, with no live dealers. That narrower opening reduces operational complexity and regulatory risk while procedures are refined. The company has also said it eventually wants to expand into land-based electronic gaming terminals, including online table games and slots linked to LaVie, creating a bridge between the resort and digital play.
Compliance work follows earlier control reviews
Regulatory readiness has been a recurring theme in IEC’s shift online. Before finalizing its platform plans, the company said it had appointed Philippine legal advisers and an internal control adviser to review policies covering online gaming, anti-money laundering and prevention of serious crimes. Those reviews became more relevant once trial operations began and an internal control report identified deficiencies.
IEC has characterized the issues as minor and not significant, mainly involving revisions to know-your-customer and anti-money laundering procedures. Still, they point to the core challenge for casino operators moving online: scale can arrive quickly, but digital transactions require strong onboarding, monitoring, payments oversight and responsible-gaming systems from the outset. PAGCOR licenses allow IEC to launch, but maintaining regulatory confidence will depend on execution after the platform goes live.
For DigiPlus, the compliance demands are not confined to the Philippines. The company is pursuing a wider international strategy. It has secured a Brazil igaming license, according to an Inside Asian Gaming report on DigiPlus’ Brazil approval, and has also been licensed in South Africa. In 2026, its board approved filing an expression of interest for a New Zealand online gaming license, as that market prepares to open regulated operations.
DigiPlus has also created a Singapore-based subsidiary to support international expansion. The company said DigiPlus Global Pte Ltd would serve as a regional hub for partnerships, hiring and growth initiatives, while not conducting igaming operations in Singapore. That structure signals an ambition to build a cross-border gaming technology and operating group, with the Philippines remaining its base market.
Investor pressure adds a capital-allocation test
The IEC deal and online launch also come as DigiPlus faces scrutiny over how it uses cash. A shareholder group led by Tomasz Juroszek urged the company to launch a substantial share repurchase, arguing that DigiPlus trades at an unusually low valuation compared with global listed gaming operators. The investor said in an open letter pressing DigiPlus for buybacks that the company’s balance sheet, cash generation and market position were not reflected in its share price.
That pressure frames the IEC investment as a strategic bet that must justify itself against other uses of capital. DigiPlus has had to navigate payment-access disruptions, softer consumer sentiment and higher customer acquisition costs, but it still holds substantial cash and little debt, according to the investor letter. Management’s answer has been to keep expanding the ecosystem: more proprietary content, more markets, a Singapore support hub and now a land-based casino-resort connection through IEC.
If the online platform launches smoothly, IEC gains a new growth channel and a way to make LaVie more than a physical casino redevelopment. DigiPlus gains a regulated partner, a route into offline gaming and a potential test case for omnichannel engagement in the Philippines. If compliance gaps widen or customer demand disappoints, both companies risk showing that land-based and digital integration is easier to describe than execute. That is why the late-2026 launch is more than a product rollout. It is the first operational proof point for a transaction that has reshaped IEC’s ownership, DigiPlus’ strategy and the competitive map of Philippine gaming.
