International Entertainment Corp is moving carefully but decisively into the Philippines’ online gaming space, revealing that its subsidiary has identified a target company for investment and is conducting the legal and compliance groundwork needed to proceed.
IEC, whose shares are listed in Hong Kong, confirmed through a regulatory filing that its Philippine subsidiary New Coast Leisure has been carrying out feasibility studies since receiving an Electronic Games Operator licence from PAGCOR in February 2025. Having completed that initial groundwork, the company has now identified a specific online gaming opportunity it is considering investing in, and has brought in specialist advisers to ensure any move meets all applicable regulatory requirements.
On the legal side, IEC has appointed a Philippine legal adviser to assess whether potential online gaming operations comply with local laws. Alongside that, an internal control adviser described as a reputable international audit firm has been brought in to evaluate whether the internal control measures and anti-money laundering frameworks connected to the potential business are adequate. The legal opinion is still being formulated, while the internal control review is already underway, examining relevant policies and procedures related to money laundering prevention and serious crime prevention. IEC has also said it will carry out an independent evaluation of these controls to verify their ongoing effectiveness.
The move into online gaming adds another dimension to what is already a significant strategic moment for IEC. The company is simultaneously being drawn deeper into the orbit of DigiPlus Interactive Corp, the Philippines’ leading online gaming operator behind platforms including BingoPlus, ArenaPlus and GameZone. DigiPlus is in the process of acquiring a controlling stake in IEC through a HK$1.6 billion convertible notes arrangement. The first tranche of HK$800 million was completed in March 2026, and if all notes are fully converted, DigiPlus will hold a 53.89% stake in IEC positioning it as the dominant shareholder and reshaping the company’s strategic direction.
The relationship between IEC and DigiPlus is already being felt operationally. DigiPlus views the IEC transaction as a way to bridge its online gaming expertise with a land-based casino platform, while IEC gains both liquidity and a powerful digital partner. The online gaming ambitions now being disclosed by IEC sit naturally within that broader partnership representing an extension of the combined group’s desire to compete across both physical and digital gaming channels in the Philippines.
IEC’s primary asset on the ground is Manila’s LaVie Resort and Casino, housed within the New Coast Hotel Manila. The property is currently undergoing a major renovation as part of a commitment of up to $1.2 billion, with a grand reopening targeted for July 2026. Casino gaming tables have already been expanded from 99 to 116, and gaming machines from 517 to 664 as part of completed ground floor upgrades. The hotel renovation itself is expected to follow shortly after.
For the Philippines’ iGaming sector, IEC’s online ambitions are worth tracking closely. A company sitting at the intersection of land-based casino operations and a growing relationship with the country’s dominant digital gaming operator is well-placed to move quickly once the legal and compliance reviews are concluded. The question now is which online gaming target IEC has in its sights — and how that investment fits into the larger DigiPlus ecosystem being assembled across the Philippines.
