SiGMA Asia 2026 welcomed an estimated 7,800 international delegates to Manila, with organisers expecting the event to grow to around 12,000 delegates when it returns in June 2027.
The summit, now in its fourth year, brought operators, regulators, suppliers, affiliates, investors, and other gaming sector stakeholders to the SMX Convention Centre and surrounding venues for several days of conference sessions, networking events, awards, and side activities.
The Philippines remained central to the event’s positioning. SiGMA described the country as one of Asia’s strongest gaming jurisdictions, pointing to its revenue potential, market engagement, and regulated gambling framework.
Key Takeaways: What Happened at SiGMA Asia 2026
- SiGMA Asia 2026 welcomed around 7,800 international delegates in Manila.
- Organisers expect the event to reach 12,000 delegates in June 2027.
- PAGCOR Chairman and CEO Alejandro Tengco addressed the opening ceremony.
- The event included the SiGMA Poker Tour Manila, the Global Gaming Awards Asia-Pacific, networking activities, and a SiGMA Foundation charity auction.
Manila Hosts SiGMA Asia’s Fourth Edition
SiGMA Asia’s path to Manila took longer than originally planned. The group had prepared to launch its first Asian event in 2020, before the pandemic brought the events sector to a halt.
The event returned in 2023, giving SiGMA its first major platform in Asia after its expansion outside Malta. Since then, the Manila edition has grown into one of the group’s core annual summits.
For 2026, delegates started the week with badge collection at the Conrad Hotel, while exhibitors completed final booth preparations at the SMX Convention Centre. An opening party on 31 May led into a full schedule of networking and conference activity across the first week of June.
PAGCOR CEO Opens the Conference
The first conference day opened with a welcome ceremony, ribbon-cutting, and keynotes from senior figures, including PAGCOR Chairman and CEO Alejandro Tengco and Deputy Speaker Hon. Maria Rachel Arenas.
Speaking to attendees, Tengco said:
The true measure of this industry is not simply its size or rate of expansion but our ability to ensure that gaming remains properly regulated, socially responsible, and, more importantly, genuinely beneficial to the communities we all serve.
Tengco also pointed to the role of industry gatherings during periods of change.
Events like this allow regulators, operators, vendors, and stakeholders to come together, not merely to discuss opportunities, but to address challenges collectively and decisively. PAGCOR has always recognised the importance of the gaming industry as a critical source for government funding and a true partner in nation-building.
He closed by saying:
We hope that there will be another conference next year and in the many years to come.
Arenas used her address to focus on artificial intelligence and its effect on society, decision-making, work, and creativity. She said:
It is redefining how we work, learn, create, and make decisions.
She added that the question no longer centres on whether AI will transform society but on whether people will guide that change wisely.
Networking, Awards, and Foundation Activity
SiGMA Asia 2026 also placed a heavy focus on networking outside the main conference floor.
Platinum ticket holders joined the SiGMA Nexus Elite Golf Tour at Club Intramuros, an 18-hole course set within Manila’s historic fortifications. Other delegates joined a two-hour Manila Bay cruise as part of the event’s social programme.
The first day closed with an awards ceremony at the Conrad Hotel. The evening also supported the SiGMA Foundation through a charity art auction, which raised €17,000.
Companies including OneHazel, Finera, Malta Media, and Z-Gaming took part in the auction. The National Lottery of Liberia also bid on two pieces: Bel Sison’s Hello Kitten sculpture and Ian Inoy’s Lucky Knot painting.
PAGCOR CEO Alejandro Tengco received an award recognising his contribution to gaming, while the evening also included a quiz, raffle, and honorary awards during the Hall of Game segment.
SiGMA Poker Tour Runs Alongside the Summit
The SiGMA Poker Tour Manila ran alongside the main SiGMA Asia event, giving the week a competitive gaming element.
Hosted at City of Dreams Manila from 30 May to 4 June, the second Asian edition of the tour carried PHP 20 million in guaranteed prize money. SiGMA described the Manila stop as the tour’s most ambitious edition so far.
The SiGMA Poker Tour will return in September with its first event in Mexico.
Malta Day and Global Gaming Awards Join the Programme
SiGMA Asia 2026 also included a Malta Day celebration hosted by the Maltese Embassy to the Philippines.
More than 40 ambassadors and consuls based in Manila attended the event, which marked Sette Giugno. Guests included H.E. John Busuttil, Ambassador of Malta to China and the Philippines; Dr Regina Jacinto Barrientos, Malta Consul for Manila; and Maria Andrelita S. Austria, Department of Foreign Affairs Undersecretary for Economic and Cultural Diplomacy.
The programme also featured the Global Gaming Awards Asia-Pacific 2026. Before the ten category winners were announced, SiGMA Founder Eman Pulis addressed attendees from the stage:
We’re back, stronger, and leading the pack in bringing the community to Asia.
Pulis also pointed to SiGMA’s wider event calendar, noting that the group now runs eight summits annually.
With 8 summits annually, we are the only conference producer covering the whole globe. Our mantra, he went on to say, is to promote the idea that regulated gaming is the only way to go.
SiGMA Asia Returns in June 2027
The 2026 edition closed with an official party at BSK Manila, hosted with 747.live. The event drew on Manila’s nightlife scene, with music from DJs John Odin and SEHEN.
SiGMA Asia will return to Manila in June 2027. Organisers expect next year’s edition to welcome around 12,000 delegates, up from an estimated 7,800 in 2026.