SiGMA Asia 2025 is officially underway, kicking off with a vibrant mix of cultural immersion, high-energy networking and world-class entertainment. The June 1st and 2nd pre-conference days offered delegates meaningful activities and social opportunities, setting the tone for an exciting week in Manila.
Manila Week marks the inaugural SiGMA Asia Summit at the city’s largest convention centre, the Smx, endorsed by Pagcor. The Philippines is quickly emerging as a global hub for land based gaming and emerging technologies, making it an ideal location for this landmark event. The country’s gaming sector has rapidly grown into one of the most influential worldwide, highlighting Manila’s importance on the global iGaming stage. Plan your week and don’t miss keynotes, panels and networking sessions by checking the full schedule.
Official Pre-Event Celebration lights up Manila.
The SiGMA Asia 2025 festivities commenced on June 1st with an electrifying pre-event celebration at Uma Nota Manila, setting the tone for the days ahead. The evening offered a vibrant atmosphere filled with music, networking and anticipation for the summit. The celebration served as a prime opportunity for delegates to engage with industry peers, bringing together top-tier industry representatives in an energetic atmosphere.
Pre-Registration in full swing - Delegates arrive and complete pre-registration, collecting badges and materials before the official start of the event.
The momentum of SiGMA Asia 2025 picked up on Monday, June 2nd, as exhibitors and delegates began arriving for pre-registration. At the SMX Convention Center Manila, exhibitors collected their badges and familiarised themselves with the expansive expo floor. With hundreds of booths and interactive tech showcases set to open the following day, many used this opportunity to coordinate setups and network with fellow exhibitors, ensuring they were well-positioned before the official doors opened.
At the nearby Conrad Manila’s Harrison Room, the delegate pre-registration hub was buzzing throughout the day. The setting fostered early relationship building among affiliate marketers, tech innovators and C-level executives. With conference passes in hand and schedules beginning to fill, the tone was set for a week of purposeful networking and opportunity.
Delegates gather at C Lounge following pre-registration, sporting their badges and networking ahead of the official kick off of SiGMA Asia 2025.
The Welcome Reception, held at the elegant C-Lounge in Conrad Manila, offered attendees a sophisticated and inviting atmosphere to kick off the summit.
SiGMA Asia 2025 kicks off: Manila welcomes global gaming and tech elite - The curtains rise today on SiGMA Asia 2025, as the SMX Convention Centre in Manila transforms into the epicentre of the iGaming and emerging tech ecosystem across Asia. From June 1st to 4th, this year’s summit is expected to attract over 20,000 delegates, more than 350 speakers, and 450+ sponsors and exhibitors, firmly establishing the Philippines as a powerhouse for innovation, regulation, and deal-making in the global gaming industry.
A landmark event for Asian markets.
SiGMA Asia 2025 brings together a diverse and powerful cross-section of stakeholders, including regulators, operators, affiliates, startups, investors, and tech innovators. With the Philippines playing a central role in Southeast Asia’s gaming infrastructure and regulatory evolution, this summit represents a timely and strategic gathering. It offers not just high-level networking but a rare chance to gauge the regional temperature on blockchain integration, AI tools, player protection frameworks, and the rapid growth of online gaming and sports betting verticals.
A high-impact opening day.
Day one opens with an official ribbon-cutting ceremony led by H.E. Mr. John Busuttil, alongside Emily Micallef, CEO of SiGMA Group and Neil Shih, Director of SiGMA Asia. Their presence underscores the strong synergy between public institutions and private stakeholders in the Philippine gaming sector.
H.E. Mr. John Busuttil, alongside Emily Micallef, CEO of SiGMA Group and Neil Shih, Director of SiGMA Asia - The morning’s keynote, “From Banks to Bets: Inside the Mind of a Hacker,” delivered by Phuong Nguyen, Founder of ECQ Group, sets the tone with a bold look at cybersecurity threats in digital betting ecosystems. Attendees will gain first-hand insights into how security blind spots are exploited and what operators must do to stay ahead.
Later in the day, the highly anticipated panel “Asia: The sleeping giant of gaming” takes centre stage. Speakers, including Ivan Kurochkin and Christopher Rodil, dissect the complex regulatory patchworks, localisation challenges, and the untapped potential of Asia’s digital-native audiences. If you’re operating or planning market entry across the region, this is a session not to miss.
Blockchain and fintech in focus.
A significant highlight of the afternoon is the session titled “Mapping the Philippines’ blockchain ecosystem”, a panel exploring how policy, tech infrastructure, and Web3 ambitions are converging in the local landscape. Industry voices such as Chezka Gonzales and Donald Patrick Lim will address the current barriers to adoption and what’s needed to position the Philippines as a competitive blockchain hub in Asia.
Ensure you attend this session if blockchain integration is part of your long-term strategy.
Startups, awards, and networking - Entrepreneurship takes the spotlight with the SiGMA Startup Pitch, where early-stage ventures battle for exposure, funding, and partnerships. Judged by leading investors and executives, including Carla Maree Vella, the pitch is a launchpad for the next generation of gaming and fintech disruptors.
This evening, the exclusive SiGMA Asia Awards will be hosted at the Conrad Manila’s Forbes Ballroom. This red-carpet gala will honour outstanding achievements across gaming, tech, and digital marketing verticals, bringing together C-suite guests in a celebration of excellence.
Ready for the week ahead?
With a whole week of conferences, exhibitions, and curated networking ahead, now is the time to plan your strategy, book your meetings, and make the most of what Manila has to offer. From compliance to creativity, from marketing to machine learning, SiGMA Asia promises to ignite partnerships and shape the next wave of growth across the region.
View the full agenda to optimise your schedule and secure your seat at key sessions: Explore the full SiGMA Asia 2025 agenda.
Power players, game changers: SiGMA Asia 2025 honours industry excellence
In a dazzling night of recognition and philanthropy, the SiGMA Awards Asia 2025 lit up the Forbes Ballroom of the Conrad Hotel in Manila, honouring the region’s most outstanding contributors to the global gaming industry. With 32 diverse categories spanning the full spectrum of gaming excellence, this prestigious event gathered leading figures, innovators, and changemakers from across Asia and beyond ahead of the SiGMA Asia conference and expo, which opens tomorrow.
A highlight included a special performance by the Jose Depiro Katabaan Orchestra – a youth orchestra from the Jose Depiro Formation Centre. The Centre is home to a multi sensory music hall, a project backed by the SiGMA Foundation and inaugurated in 2024.
The Jose Depiro Katabaan Orchestra performing during the SiGMA Asia Awards 2025 - A standout moment saw the presentation of the Outstanding Contribution to Gaming 2025 award, bestowed upon the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR), whose thoughtful direction has significantly contributed to the future of gaming in the region. Meanwhile Spribe was awarded a well-deserved accolade for outstanding leadership. Recently featured in our Asia edition, you can catch their full story in SiGMA Magazine. Capping off the evening was a heartfelt charity auction in support of the SiGMA Foundation, reflecting the industry’s growing commitment to social impact alongside success.
Hosted by Olga Yaroshevsky and Max Tiu, the SiGMA Asia Awards were generously supported by BETCONSTRUCT, a leading technology and service provider for both online and land-based gaming sectors.
And the winners for the SiGMA Asia Awards 2025 are:
BEST AGGREGATOR 2025: Zenith
BEST E-SPORT PROVIDER 2025: BETBY
BEST SPORTSBOOK PROVIDER 2025: BETER
BEST VIRTUAL SPORTS PROVIDER 2025: Golden Race
BEST PLATFORM 2025: GamingSoft
BEST INNOVATIVE SPORTSBOOK FEATURE 2025: BetConstruct
BEST CRASH GAME PORTFOLIO 2025: InOut Games
BEST LIVE CASINO PROVIDER 2025: CreedRoomz
BEST SLOT GAME PROVIDER 2025: JILI
BEST MULTI-CHANNEL PROVIDER 2025: Pronet Gaming
BEST SLOT GAMES NEWCOMER 2025: Jumbo
BEST NEWCOMER IN LIVE CASINO 2025: Imagine Live
BEST UI/UX PLATFORM PROVIDER 2025: K36
BEST EMERGING PLATFORM PROVIDER 2025: K36
INDUSTRY RISING STAR 2025: DST Gaming
BEST MARKETING SOLUTION PROVIDER 2025: Laaffic
BEST CASINO FEATURE 2025: Playtime
BEST CASINO OPERATOR 2025: BingoPlus
BEST SPORTSBOOK 2025: ArenaPlus
BEST MARKETING CAMPAIGN 2025: Valentines Drop by WAZDAN
BEST AFFILIATE PROGRAM 2025: StayPartners
BEST GAME STUDIO 2025: Amusnet
BEST PAYMENT SOLUTION 2025: UU Wallet
BEST INTERACTIVE SPORTSBOOK EXPERIENCE 2025: SOFTSWISS
BREAKTHROUGH SPORTSBOOK OPERATOR 2025: Parimatch
BEST KYC SOLUTION 2025: SumSub
BEST LIQUIDITY PROVIDER 2025: Match Liquidity
OUTSTANDING LEADERSHIP 2025: SPRIBE
OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION TO GAMING 2025: PAGCOR
LAND-BASED LEADERSHIP 2025: Hann Resorts
BEST LAND-BASED GAME FEATURE 2025: Zhao Cai Shuang Yu (EGT)
OUTSTANDING E-SPORTS OPERATOR 2025 – Parimatc