Runner-up for the award was MGM China President and COO Hubert Wang while Aristocrat Gaming’s General Manager for Asia Lloyd Robson and Jade Entertainment and Gaming Technologies Founder and CEO Joe Pisano were at joint third place.

Mr. Tengco said he did not expect to win the award but that it “validated the efforts that we have been putting over the past two years. It also proved that we are leading the agency in the right direction.”

“This award inspires me to work harder so that our plans and aspirations for PAGCOR may become a reality during my tenure as chairman and CEO,” he said.

The Global Gaming Awards is a project of gaming publication Gambling Insider and is considered one of the most prestigious awards in the industry.

Mariya Savova, the event manager, congratulated this year's winners and those who were shortlisted, adding that “nomination alone is still a fantastic achievement.”

“The Philippines is now the most dynamic and innovative gaming market in Asia with developments in both the land-based and online verticals, so it certainly was a great pleasure to have the Global Gaming Awards Asia-Pacific here in Manila today,” she said during the ceremony.

This year’s panel of judges includes Betty Zhao, Senior Vice President of International Operations at Aruze Gaming Global; Ken Jolly, VP and Managing Director, Asia at Light & Wonder; Jaclyn Wood, CEO of Global Players Network; and Lucas Cai, Vice President of Gaming at Mohegan INSPIRE Entertainment Resort, among others.

Another category in the award is Casino Operator of the Year which was jointly won by Galaxy Entertainment Group and Philippine company Bloomberry Resorts Corporation, while runner-up was Sands and in third place was Wynn Resorts Macau.

There were also winners for Casino Supplier of the Year, Digital Casino Operator of the Year, Digital Casino Supplier of the Year, Integrated Resort of the Year, Casino Product of the Year, Table Game Product of the Year, Digital Sports Betting Operator of the Year, Digital Sports Betting Supplier of the Year, Corporate Social Responsibility of the Year, and the coveted Executive of the Year.