The rising influence of the Philippines gaming industry was on show when leading B2B industry media brand Inside Asian Gaming announced its 50 most influential figures in the Asia-Pacific gaming industry at a lavish dinner at City of Dreams Manila on Friday night.
Galaxy Entertainment Group Vice Chairman Francis Lui was named the most influential person in the industry for the fourth year in a row after topping IAG’s Asian Gaming Power 50 list for 2022.
However, there were also 10 representatives of the Philippines integrated resort and casino industry on this year’s list. They included Mr Lawrence Ho (#3) and Mr Evan Winkler (#30) from City of Dreams Manila operator Melco Resorts & Entertainment; Mr Enrique Razon (#6) and Mr Thomas Arasi (#38) from Solaire Resort operator Bloomberry Resorts Corporation; Mr Kingson Sian (#27) from Newport World Resorts operator Travellers International Hotel Group; and Mr Jun Fujimoto (#32) and Mr Byron Yip (#46) representing Okada Manila operator Tiger Resort, Leisure and Entertainment Inc (TRLEI) and its parent company Universal Entertainment Corp.
At number six, leading Filipino national Enrique Razon enjoyed his highest ever ranking on IAG’s annual Asian Gaming Power 50 list.
Appearing on the list for the first time was Mr Daesik Han, Chairman and CEO of Hann Philippines Inc and PAGCOR Chairman and CEO Mr Alejandro Tengco, while Leisure & Resorts World Corp founder “Albee” Benitez returned to the Power 50 despite having recently stepped aside from daily duties for political reasons.
The 10 Philippines representatives and their 2022 positions are as follows:
- Mr Lawrence Ho (3)
- Mr Enrique Razon (6)
- Mr Kingson Sian (27)
- Mr Evan Winkler (30)
- Mr Jun Fujimoto (32)
- Mr Daesik Han (34)
- Mr Thomas Arasi (38)
- Mr Alejandro Tengco (45)
- Mr Byron Yip (46)
- Mr Albee Benitez (48)
All are either nationals of the Philippines or represent companies with gaming operations in the Philippines.
The Asian Gaming Power 50 is Inside Asian Gaming’s annual list of the 50 most influential individuals in the industry across the Asia-Pacific region, as ranked by a panel of esteemed judges boasting decades of industry experience.
The 2022 Asian Gaming Power 50 was held outside of Macau for the first time in its 15-year history, at City of Dreams Manila in the Philippines.
IAG was also delighted to have the support of all four Entertainment City IRs as well as Clark’s Hann Casino Resort for this year’s event.
The full list of the 2022 Asian Gaming Power 50 is below.
| Position | Points | Name | Organization |
| 1 | 3,510 | Francis Lui | Galaxy Entertainment Group |
| 2 | 2,682 | Lim Kok Thay | Genting Berhad |
| 3 | 2,281 | Lawrence Ho | Melco Resorts and Entertainment |
| 4 | 2,070 | Pansy Ho | MGM China |
| 5 | 1,748 | Rob Goldstein | Las Vegas Sands |
| 6 | 1,511 | Enrique Razon Jr | Bloomberry Resorts |
| 7 | 1,382 | Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges | Hong Kong Jockey Club |
| 8 | 1,251 | Wilfred Wong | Sands China |
| 9 | 1,026 | Craig Billings | Wynn Resorts |
| 10 | 997 | Chen Lip Keong | Nagacorp |
| 11 | 992 | Daisy Ho | SJM Holdings |
| 12 | 972 | Masayuki Goto | Japan Racing Association |
| 13 | 893 | Angela Leong | SJM Holdings |
| 14 | 881 | Grant Chum | Sands China |
| 15 | 873 | Patrick Dumont | Las Vegas Sands |
| 16 | 872 | Bill Hornbuckle | MGM Resorts International |
| 17 | 852 | Kevin Kelley | Galaxy Entertainment Group |
| 18 | 836 | Lim Keong Hui | Genting Berhad |
| 19 | 825 | Paul Town | Marina Bay Sands |
| 20 | 824 | Han Chang-woo | Maruhan Group |
| 21 | 798 | Steve Hsieh | Taiwan Welfare Lottery |
| 22 | 770 | Linda Chen | Wynn Macau |
| 23 | 762 | Yoji Sato | Dynam Group |
| 24 | 761 | Tan Hee Teck | Genting Singapore |
| 25 | 756 | Lee Choong Yan | Genting Malaysia |
| 26 | 756 | Ian Michael Coughlan | Wynn Macau Limited |
| 27 | 738 | Kingson Sian | Travellers International Hotel Group |
| 28 | 738 | Barni Evans | Sportsbet |
| 29 | 737 | Adam Rytenskild | Tabcorp |
| 30 | 735 | Evan Winkler | Melco Resorts and Entertainment |
| 31 | 698 | Lee Sam-geol | Kangwon Land |
| 32 | 683 | Jun Fujimoto | Universal Entertainment Corp |
| 33 | 671 | Michael Ahearne | SkyCity Entertainment Group |
| 34 | 669 | Daesik Han | Hann Philippines Inc |
| 35 | 663 | Ambrose So | SJM Holdings |
| 36 | 631 | Ciarán Carruthers | Crown Resorts |
| 37 | 615 | Henry Cheng | Chow Tai Fook |
| 38 | 613 | Thomas Arasi | Bloomberry Resorts |
| 39 | 611 | David Sisk | Melco Resorts and Entertainment |
| 40 | 605 | Phillip Chun | Paradise Group |
| 41 | 601 | Jaydev Mody | Delta Corp |
| 42 | 590 | Ted Lin | Taiwan Sports Lottery |
| 43 | 577 | Kenny Feng | MGM China |
| 44 | 576 | Hubert Wang | MGM China |
| 45 | 568 | Alejandro Tengco | PAGCOR |
| 46 | 564 | Byron Yip | Okada Manila |
| 47 | 559 | Stephen Ho | Macau Slot Ltd |
| 48 | 555 | Alfredo Abelardo “Albee” Bantug Benitez | Leisure & Resorts World Corporation |
| 49 | 548 | Jay Chun | Paradise Entertainment Ltd |
| 50 | 540 | Kim Young-san | Grand Korea Leisure |
Andrew W Scott, Vice Chairman and CEO of Power 50 organizers Inside Asian Gaming said, “After 14 years in Macau, it was a big decision to move the Asian Gaming Power 50 Gala Dinner to another country for the first time, but holding the 15th annual event here in the Philippines was a spectacular success. We were absolutely delighted with the support we received from the resort industry in the Philippines, and the people of the Philippines. Everyone has gone out of their way to help us with moving the host city of this international event to Manila.
“It’s becoming much tougher for an international industry like ours to operate in China, including Macau. At the same time all levels of the Philippines government seem to be letting the world know that the country is ‘open for business’. It was an honor to have Congressman Edwin Olivarez representing the First District of Parañaque — the home of Entertainment City — present the trophy for the number 1 position. We couldn’t be happier and the Philippines has made a strong case for us staying here for next year’s event.”
First published by IAG in 2008, the Asian Gaming Power 50 has become renowned as the definitive guide to the most influential people in the Asian gaming industry.
City of Dreams Manila was Venue Sponsor of this year’s Asian Gaming Power 50 Gala Dinner, with Bloomberry Resorts Corp and Solaire Resort, Entertainment City the Red Carpet Welcome Cocktails Sponsors, Newport World Resorts the Farewell Gift Bags Sponsor, Okada Manila the Official After Party Sponsor and Bobadilla Group Macau the Entertainment Sponsor.
ANGEL Group, Aristocrat, IGT and Light & Wonder were Platinum Sponsors, while Avantage Entertainment, Galaxy Entertainment Group, Hann Resorts, Macau Slot, Mega Fortris, MGM, Sands China, SJM Resorts and Wynn Macau were Gold Sponsors.
Inside Asian Gaming thanks all our sponsors for their support.
The 16th Asian Gaming Power 50 Black Tie Gala Dinner will take place on Friday 3 November 2023.
For more information visit www.iagpower50.com.
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