Bank heist bares Philippine money law flaws

Unauthorized transfers from Bank of Bangladesh sent US$81 million in illegal funds to Philippine banks and casinos, attracted by lax anti-money laundering laws.

Totally globalized native New Yorker and former broadcast news producer Muhammad Cohen is a blogger for Forbes, editor at large for Inside Asian Gaming and author of Hong Kong On Air, a novel set in his adopted hometown during the 1997 handover about television news, love, betrayal, high finance, and cheap lingerie. See his bio, online archive and more at www.muhammadcohen.com; follow him on Facebook and Twitter @MuhammadCohen.

Macau goes French, 2016 hot for Manila, India

Sands China’s Parisian Macao being a big hit tops predictions for Asian gaming in 2016. A move up for Manila, Indians as a target market, Asian operators moving into Europe and Disney Shanghai as a travel disruptor are other stories to watch as this year unfolds.

Totally globalized native New Yorker and former broadcast news producer Muhammad Cohen is a blogger for Forbes and author of Hong Kong On Air, a novel set in his adopted hometown during the 1997 handover about television news, love, betrayal, high finance, and cheap lingerie. See his bio, online archive and more at www.muhammadcohen.com; follow him on Facebook and Twitter @MuhammadCohen.

Philippine hit, Macau miss in 2015 predictions

Last January, my prediction of a Macau recovery in 2015 was well off the mark, but I made better calls on the Philippines, Australia and Japan.

Totally globalized native New Yorker and former broadcast news producer Muhammad Cohen is a blogger for Forbes and author of Hong Kong On Air, a novel set in his adopted hometown during the 1997 handover about television news, love, betrayal, high finance, and cheap lingerie. See his bio, online archive and more at www.muhammadcohen.com; follow him on Facebook and Twitter @MuhammadCohen.

Japan Billionaire Okada Crafts Philippine Casino Comeback

Pachinko king Kazuo Okada’s $2 billion Philippine casino dream looked like a nightmare. But the Japanese billionaire’s Manila Bay Resorts is now on track to open next year as the largest property in the Entertainment City casino district.

Totally globalized native New Yorker and former broadcast news producer Muhammad Cohen is a blogger for Forbes and author of Hong Kong On Air, a novel set in his adopted hometown during the 1997 handover about television news, love, betrayal, high finance, and cheap lingerie. See his bio, online archive and more at www.muhammadcohen.com; follow him on Facebook and Twitter @MuhammadCohen.