There is a fancy hotel and casino in the Philippines called Okada Manila that just won two big awards. The Inside Asian Gaming (IAG) Academy IR Awards event is where the awards were given out. The event took place at the Hilton Manila hotel.
Moreover, “Best Poker Room in an IR” award was given to Okada Manila. An “IR” is a large hotel complex that has a casino and other fun things to do. This award was taken by Byron Yip, who is a big boss at Okada Manila. Okada Manila has a special poker room that is run by PokerStars LIVE, a well-known poker company. People can play poker here for real money and in big poker events.
Joe Sam, who works at Okada Manila, won the other prize. He was recognised as a “Rising Star” and added to the IAG Hall of Fame. It’s because Joe Sam is great at making people happy that he won this award.
What Okada Manila Said
Toscana Manila is a very fancy spot in the Philippines. Forbes magazine gave it five stars, which means it’s really good. Therefore, it takes up a lot of space—about 30 football fields’ worth!
The way Okada Manila treats its guests is what makes it stand out. The way they treat people is a mix of how Filipinos are nice and how Japanese people are careful and exact. This makes every person feel unique.
At Okada Manila, There Are Some Cool Things:
- The Fountain: A big, beautiful water show
- Cove Manila: The biggest indoor beach club and nightclub in the world
- A huge casino with lots of games
- Special clubs for rich people who want to gamble
- Fun places for families like PLAY and Thrillscape
- Nice spas to relax in
- Over 40 places to eat
- Lots of shops
- 993 very nice rooms to stay in
You can play online at Okada Manila, and they even have an app for your phone.
Poker events coming up at Okada Manila
There are some big poker games coming up at Okada Manila if you like to play:
- Manila Megastack 19
- When: September 19-29, 2024
- What: 40 different poker tournaments
- Prize money: Over 37 million Philippine pesos (about $655,810)
- Asia Pacific Poker Tour (APPT) Championship
- When: October 18-27, 2024
- Prize money: 152.5 million Philippine pesos (about $2.7 million)
- The biggest event is the APPT Main Event Championship, which will give away at least 55 million pesos (about $974,000)
Other Award Winners
Besides the IAG Academy IR Awards, lots of other places and companies won awards too. Here are some of them:
- Marina Bay Sands in Singapore won for having the best-looking building and the best shopping area.
- Galaxy Macau won for having the best food.
- A company called Aristocrat won for making the best slot machines.
- Solaire Entertainment City won for having the best casino floor.
- Melco Resorts & Entertainment won for doing the most to help people and communities.
The Awards Also Named Some Important People In The Casino Business:
- Ankur Sharma, Jack Curtis, and Joe Sam were called “Rising Stars.”
- Andrew MacDonald, Kevin Benning, and Han Tian were named “Industry Icons.”
- Francis Lui was named “Outstanding CEO.”
- Ciarán Carruthers was called an “Industry Legend.”
Why These Awards Matter
Lastly these awards show which hotels and casinos are doing the best job. They look at things like:
- How nice the buildings are
- How good the restaurants are
- How fun the casinos are
- How well they treat their workers
- How much they help their communities
Getting these kinds of awards helps places like Okada Manila get more guests. They’re one of the best places to have fun, play, or just stay in a nice hotel.
Moreover it’s very important for poker players to know that Okada Manila won the award for best poker room. There will be good games and well-run events, so they can expect to play in a great place.
The Asian gambling business as a whole also grows and gets better because of these awards. When you let everyone know who’s doing a great job, they’ll all work harder to give their guests a better experience.
