Casinos
Bloomberry's Hawkins targets online upside and cost control to revive Solaire
The Philippine operator's president and COO is repositioning its flagship Entertainment City resort while ramping up the in-house FUNaloMAX online platform after a loss-making 2025.
What happened
Bloomberry Resorts is pursuing a two-track recovery under group president and COO Greg Hawkins: fixing the performance of its flagship Solaire Entertainment City and scaling a new online mass market platform. Hawkins, who held the role in an acting capacity from December 2024 and officially since June 2025, outlined the strategy in an interview with iGaming Business published on 27 August 2026.
The company launched FUNaloMAX in July 2026, an online mass market product built on in-house technology. Solaire Online, which has operated since 2021, is scheduled to move to an in-house platform during the third quarter of 2026.
Confirmed details
Bloomberry's 2025 full-year loss was PHP2.8 billion (US$45.4 million), with much of the decline concentrated at Solaire Entertainment City. Second-quarter 2026 results indicate a partial reversal. Gross gaming revenue at the flagship rose 18% year-on-year, with VIP up 81%, mass tables ahead 8% and slots gaining 6%. Property EBITDA increased 40% to PHP2.4 billion, and margins rebounded from 20.8% to 26%.
Hawkins attributed the improvement partly to internal discipline. The relevant margins in the business required a proper focus on cost management and capital expenditure management, he said, adding that management teams are now engaged on cost and margins as much as on top-line and GGR growth.
The online business has been restructured after an earlier product, MegaFUNalo, encountered what Hawkins called technical teething problems, mainly around guest experience. That platform, launched in mid-2025, relied on third-party technology. FUNaloMAX is the successor, positioned as a broader mass market offer with credibility derived from the Solaire brand. Active marketing of FUNaloMAX is expected to ramp up over the following months, including awareness branding and direct offers to the database.
Market intelligence platform Blask ranked FUNaloMAX 70th of 335 Philippine market brands at the end of July 2026, a month after launch.
At Solaire Quezon City, formerly Solaire North, second-quarter GGR rose 9% year-on-year and EBITDA rose 19% to PHP1.3 billion. The property marked its second anniversary in May 2026. Damian Quayle joined as Quezon City COO in July 2025.
Why it matters to the iGaming market
The Philippines is Asia's largest legal online gaming market, and Bloomberry is now treating online as a significant growth channel rather than a threat. The shift from third-party technology to in-house platforms for both FUNaloMAX and Solaire Online signals an effort to control the consumer experience and marketing execution more tightly.
The land-based strategy reflects broader post-POGO conditions. Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr banned Philippine Overseas Gaming Operators in 2024. Hawkins said the post-POGO environment is very different, with less cash flowing through the VIP segment and into other parts of the business. In response, Bloomberry is reviewing how space historically allocated to VIP can be converted to mass or premium mass, and is expanding entertainment offerings to drive footfall.
Solaire Entertainment City has also entered a strategic partnership with GMG Productions for shows and events at its theater. A converted area called The Space is being used for events and entertainment experiences.
What to watch next
Westside City, the long-delayed fourth integrated resort in Entertainment City, is scheduled to open later in 2026. Hawkins said the addition of hotel rooms and critical mass is likely a net positive for the district, though it will heighten competition.
Bloomberry sold its Jeju, South Korea casino business in March 2026. A previously announced beachfront resort in Cavite remains an opportunity but is not an active focus, according to Hawkins.
The company is also watching the Gulf conflict's effect on cost of living pressures, particularly fuel. Hawkins said the immediate flow-through from the Middle East crisis has passed, but the issue remains a close watch.
International tourism is a longer-term priority. Hawkins said most inbound visitors currently transit through Manila to island destinations, and a two- or three-day city stay at integrated resorts near the airport represents a real opportunity. That would require coordinated effort between government and licensed operators, he said.