Solaire targets 20% of revenue from online gambling by 2027
Philippine casino giant Solaire wants online gambling to account for around 20 per cent of its total gaming revenue by the end of 2027 as traditional casino groups increasingly embrace digital gaming.
Bloomberry Resorts Corporation President and COO Greg Hawkins outlined the target during the IAG Academy Summit in Manila.
Bloomberry operates the Solaire integrated resort business and currently runs two online gambling brands in the Philippines — mass-market FUNaloMAX and premium-focused Solaire Online.
“As a share of consolidated GGR, I’d love to get it to around 20% by the end of 2027, which sets us some targets,” Hawkins said.
Solaire has taken the relatively unusual step of developing its own online gambling platform rather than relying on an outsourced technology provider or revenue-sharing arrangement.
Hawkins said the company had originally used an external platform before deciding it needed greater control over the player experience.
“We recognised that and went from an outsourced platform to developing our own,” he said.
“That’s been a successful journey.”
FUNaloMAX was relaunched on the proprietary platform several months ago and is building a separate mass-market customer database, while Solaire Online is now being migrated to the same technology.
Perhaps more significantly, Hawkins revealed that Solaire’s premium online casino has generated earnings without previously receiving any significant marketing support.
That is about to change.
“Solaire Online, which has been quite a solid earnings performer, has never been marketed,” Hawkins said.
“We’re at a point over the next month or so where we’ll start to actively market that into the sector as well.”
The strategy comes during a period of substantial regulatory change in the Philippines, where authorities are tightening controls over electronic gambling while continuing to permit locally licensed online gaming.
Solaire is not the only major integrated resort looking to bring more digital operations in-house.
Hann Casino Resorts Vice President of Gaming Operations Rod Hackman said Hann eventually intends to migrate its online gambling platform away from its current PhilWeb-supported model.
Hann currently uses PhilWeb to support its online product while it builds market share, but this could change within the next few years.
“Every month there’s an increase in GGR and the number of bettors online,” Hackman said.
