Asia’s regulated iGaming question is no longer about payments alone, industry leaders say

Five industry figures across Asia say digital payments have advanced far enough that the technology is no longer the main blocker for regulated iGaming. The catch is the familiar one: political appetite, not payment rails, still decides whether a market opens.

1. Daniel Cheng, a veteran industry consultant and former executive at Genting and Hard Rock, draws a line between capability and acceptance. He says there have been “great leaps” in digital payments across Asia, but they are “not quite air-gapped enough” to reassure larger Asian economies that are weighing whether to legalise igaming.
2. Cheng’s point is not that the infrastructure is missing. It is that, in his view, legalising any form of gambling is still treated in some larger Asian economies as an economic measure of last resort, with a political cost attached. In other words, the rails can be ready before the legislature is.
3. Shaun McCamley, founder and managing partner of Euro Pacific Asia Consulting Ltd (EPA), is even more direct: “Technology opens the door. Regulation decides who walks through.” He says that across Asia-Pacific, digital payment infrastructure is “no longer the constraint”. E-wallet penetration is deep, cross-border settlement is faster, and KYC tools are more sophisticated than they were even a few years ago.
4. From a technical standpoint, McCamley says, “regulated igaming is entirely viable.” The obstacle is regulatory intent, not payment capability. He describes a pattern seen in several markets: governments benefit from digital commerce growth, consumers are already active in adjacent digital verticals, technology providers are ready, and operators are prepared.
5. The article’s broader framing is that Asia has become one of the most dynamic gambling regions over the past decade because of mobile-first consumers, rapid digitalisation and more sophisticated payment systems. But most of the region still operates under highly restrictive or fragmented online gambling regimes, so payment modernisation alone has not cleared the way for regulated iGaming.

The useful takeaway for PSPs, acquirers and banking partners is straightforward: better KYC, faster cross-border settlement and deep e-wallet penetration improve operational feasibility, but they do not remove the policy decision. In Asia, payment readiness and legal readiness are still two different conversations.