Global live casino leader Evolution has announced that the company has officially launched its first live casino studio in Asia.

According to the press release, Evolution started their operations today in Cebu, the Philippines. This milestone marks a significant expansion of Evolution’s presence in the Asia-Pacific region and strengthens its role in the country’s regulated online gaming market.

Asia-based Studio Locations

The new studio is the result of a strategic partnership between the live casino provider and One Visaya Gaming Corporation (OVG).

OVG is an existing casino operator with a strong presence in the Philippines, working under local regulatory authorities. Specifically, OVG operates in the country based on the strict regulatory standards set by the Philippines Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR).

At launch, the state-of-the-art studio will offer a selection of Baccarat tables, which makes sense considering the studio's focus on the Asian live casino market. Additionally, the studio will stream popular live game shows such as Lightning Roulette, Marble Race, and Super Color Game. Many of these are recent releases that blend Evolution's famous live casino presentation with RNG-driven gameplay.

However, the press release also states that not all of these titles will be immediately available. Some of them, such as the game shows, are expected to roll out throughout 2025.

Gionata La Torre, Chief Executive Officer for Europe at Evolution, highlighted the significance of the launch:

“We’re proud to launch our first live casino studio in Asia in the Philippines and be part of its regulated online gaming market. This new studio is a major milestone in our long-term commitment to the region. Partnering with OVG allows us to deliver world-class live content tailored to local preferences through licensed operators. With player favourites available from day one and more exciting titles on the way, our focus remains on quality, innovation, and localisation — the keys to building trust and lasting engagement in any market.”

Evolution Navigating Philippines Gambling Laws

Although the original press release does not outwardly state so, this development is likely a reaction to PAGCOR's recent crackdown on offshore online casinos.

As a reminder, a year after Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr moved to ban offshore gambling operators in the Philippines, the Senate and House passed bills to permanently ban their ability to offer gambling services to the country's citizens.

The move may come as bad news to Filipino players who have become used to having access to hundreds of international brands. However, the lawmakers behind the bill stress major issues with the established POGO system, ranging from money laundering problems to disappointing tax returns.

Considering how the live casino vertical works, the new regulations possibly mean that all elements of a live casino stream have to work under PAGCOR's jurisdiction. This means that they have to be physically located within the country in order to be accessible to players from the Philippines.

Either way, the new launch is expected to significantly bolster Evolution's presence in East Asia, largely thanks to a selection of new native-speaking live tables.