COD Manila adopts responsible gaming

City of Dreams Manila, part of the Melco Resorts and Entertainment Group, has taken the initiative to promote and observe responsible gaming practices in the Philippines.

- Marianne Go

According to Mark Chapman, vice president for finance of COD Manila, the face of gaming in the Philippines is changing following the government's decision to move away from offshore gaming operations.

As such, Chapman is seeing potential new areas in online gaming, as well as expanding COD Manila's other offerings in the resort/leisure sector, food and beverage with a number of restaurants and the retail experience.

Mr. Chapman admits that he is a newcomer in the resorts/gambling industry, having joined COD Manila just two and a half years ago. Previously, Mr. Chapman was in the corporate sector in the United Kingdom specifically working for Xerox Corp.

"I have been working with COD Manila for the past two and a half years, but I've personally been in the Philippines for 10 years," he said, revealing that "my background is working for Xerox Corp. The photocopier company and I spent most of my career working in the UK."

He was eventually tasked to set up operations in the Philippines. It was supposed to be an 18-month stint to put up a finance and shared services team. However, he admits, "it was only supposed to be short...to come here for 18 months...but I loved it so much. They eventually brought more work here so that lasted longer."

After Xerox, Mr. Chapman ended up taking an interim job for a logistics company and then went to an American company before finally moving to COD Manila after that.