Final month, PokerStars LIVE at Okada Manila received the coveted “Greatest Poker Room in an Built-in Resort” on the annual Inside Asian Gaming Academy IR Awards (IAG) Awards. It marked the second consecutive yr that the luxurious poker site captured the award.
The state-of-the-art venue, which supplies around-the-clock money video games and among the richest poker tournaments in Asian, such because the Asia Pacific Poker Tour (APPT), bested the likes of the MGM COTAI Poker Room, Newport World Resorts, and The Venetian Macao Poker Room. It’s not a coincidence that PokerStars LIVE at Okada Manila received back-to-back awards; it’s a results of years of arduous work and dedication by everybody concerned, which allows it to supply an unparalleled service to gamers.
“PokerStars at Okada Manila stands out as a result of it presents way over only a poker site—it’s a real all-in-one vacation spot,” Lorie Torre, Senior Supervisor of PokerStars Dwell Asia, completely informed PokerNews. “Its distinctive setting, very totally different from a conventional poker site, permits us to create a definite ambiance for each occasion.”
“The venue supplies a big inventive canvas to form the look, really feel, and power of every pageant. Most significantly, it’s the folks. The collaborative teamwork between PokerStars and Okada, aligned with the identical aim, ensures occasions run seamlessly. The workforce is constantly heat, skilled, and attentive, delivering top-tier service throughout the property. This mixture of venue, ambiance, and folks is what units Okada Manila aside, which is why it has been awarded Greatest Poker Room in Asia two years in a row.”
Successful awards is at all times welcome, however they imply much more than a glitzy social gathering and the celebrations that observe. Torre defined to PokerNews the significance of this recognition to PokerStars at a time when Asia continues to develop into a worldwide poker hub.
“This recognition is very significant for us, notably at a time when Asia Pacific continues to emerge as some of the dynamic and aggressive reside poker markets globally. Being acknowledged alongside different excellent poker rooms within the area reinforces the power of what we’re constructing and additional strengthens participant belief within the PokerStars reside expertise.”
“On the similar time, we see this recognition as each validation and duty. It’s a shared achievement throughout our companions and groups, and it challenges us to maintain elevating the bar. Asia by no means stands nonetheless, and neither can we. This recognition reminds us to repeatedly innovate, introduce contemporary concepts, and be certain that each occasion delivers a memorable and best-in-class expertise.”
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The award highlights PokerStars’ dedication to delivering world-class poker experiences by robust native partnerships. The collaboration with Okada Manila has been a key part of elevating the participant expertise of the Asia Pacific Poker Tour (APPT), as Torre defined.
“Okada Manila has been an distinctive accomplice for the Asia Pacific Poker Tour and has performed a key position in elevating the general participant expertise. From the gamers’ perspective, it presents a very built-in vacation spot: a world-class poker venue, premium lodging simply steps from the motion, and a various vary of eating and leisure choices all underneath one roof. We constantly obtain excellent suggestions from gamers, a lot of whom describe it as one in every of—if not the—most stunning poker rooms they’ve ever performed in.”
“That sort of suggestions is extremely essential, because it displays the lasting impression our occasions depart on gamers. Equally essential is the robust operational collaboration behind the scenes. The seamless coordination throughout groups—notably desk video games, hospitality, safety, and culinary—permits us to ship occasions easily and constantly at a really excessive commonplace. This collective effort is a serious motive we’re in a position to meet, and infrequently exceed, the expectations gamers have of a PokerStars reside occasion.”
Simply because PokerStars has loved continued success in Europe with the European Poker Tour (EPT) does not imply that success was assured in Asia. Gamers from totally different areas have differing expectations, from event buildings to know-how and customer support. How does PokerStars guarantee its gamers’ expectations are constantly met in a realm the place the shopper base is changing into more and more international?
“At present’s reside poker viewers in Asia is really international, and participant expectations are increased than ever. Gamers worth a world-class expertise constructed on sport integrity, equity, professionalism, and high-quality occasion administration—whereas nonetheless holding the sport enjoyable and fascinating.”
“PokerStars meets these expectations by delivering robust event buildings, clear and constant guidelines, and strict safety and media protocols to make sure a good and well-run surroundings. At venues like Okada Manila, superior safety programs, complete CCTV protection, and a extremely educated ground and safety workforce assist safeguard gameplay and event operations. Past the tables, we take a holistic strategy.”
“Constant employees coaching, glorious customer support, premium facilities, and curated leisure all form the general expertise. Gamers don’t simply come to compete—they arrive for the total journey. Our aim is to make each PokerStars occasion in Asia memorable and value returning to.”
The APPT has lengthy been a cornerstone of PokerStars’ reside calendar. Like most poker excursions, it has developed lately, primarily as a result of tour’s elevated international attain. What classes has PokerStars discovered which have contributed to successful this newest accolade?
“The APPT has developed considerably lately, reflecting each the altering expectations of gamers and the continued development of reside poker in Asia. We’ve refined event buildings, strengthened operational consistency, enhanced participant communications, and invested throughout all facets of occasion supply—from staffing and know-how to safety and customer support.”
“A key lesson from this evolution has been the significance of listening intently to participant suggestions and dealing with robust native companions to ship a seamless, end-to-end expertise. This strategy has helped set up Okada Manila as a benchmark venue and contributed to being acknowledged as a two-time awardee for Greatest Poker Room in an Built-in Resort, delivering world-class and really distinctive poker occasions. That recognition reinforces our player-first philosophy and displays our ongoing dedication to elevating requirements throughout the trade.”
Though PokerStars is but to finalize the schedule for the 2026 APPT, Torre was sort sufficient to provide PokerNews readers a glimpse of what gamers can count on.
“Innovation has at all times been on the core of PokerStars, and that philosophy continues to information the APPT. Waiting for 2026, our ambition is to additional develop the tour throughout the Asia-Pacific area and make sure the APPT really lives as much as its identify by delivering top-of-the-line reside poker experiences globally.”
“Gamers can count on enhanced flagship stops, improved schedules, and refined event buildings designed to attraction to a variety of bankrolls and taking part in kinds. We’re additionally targeted on creating extra accessible pathways into the tour by qualifiers and packages linked to earlier occasions, permitting extra gamers to be a part of the APPT journey. Our purpose is to maintain the tour thrilling, inclusive, and constantly rewarding—whereas staying on the forefront of reside poker in Asia.”
PokerNews congratulates everybody linked to the PokerStars Dwell at Okada Manila for receiving back-to-back awards. Keep tuned to PokerNews all through 2026 for all of the APPT information, schedules, and outcomes, and to see if PokerStars can full an unprecedented three-peat of Greatest Poker Room titles.
Matthew Pitt
Senior Editor
