Shirley Tam joins Okada Manila as executive VP of casino marketing
Shirley Tam, a seasoned gaming industry professional, has returned to Okada Manila as Executive Vice President of Casino Marketing, resuming her role at one of the Philippines’ largest integrated resorts. She began her new position in mid-September 2025, according to a post on LinkedIn.
Tam is no stranger to the Manila-based property, she had earlier served as Senior Vice President of Premium Marketing at Okada Manila from October 2018 to August 2021, where she was responsible for driving the resort’s premium player marketing and international outreach.
Experience across leading casino markets
Before returning to Okada Manila, Tam worked as Chief Casino Marketing Officer at Inspire Entertainment Resort in Incheon, South Korea. The resort, which caters to foreign visitors, underwent a management change earlier this year when Bain Capital took control from Mohegan.
Mohegan’s exit followed a US$275 million loan default connected to Inspire’s US$1.6 billion development. The company clarified that the default was due to unmet financial performance targets under the loan agreement, not missed payments.
Tam’s appointment at Inspire came during this transition period and was seen as part of the effort to strengthen its marketing and VIP operations. Her international experience across several major casino hubs has made her one of the most recognised marketing professionals in the gaming sector.
Career spanning over 24 years
Tam has over 24 years of experience in the casino industry. She started her career at Caesars Windsor in Ontario, Canada, where she spent eight years and worked her way up to become Assistant Marketing Operations Manager.
In 2006, she moved to Macau, joining The Venetian Macao, operated by Sands China Ltd, during a time of major expansion in the city’s casino sector. She later held senior roles at Galaxy Entertainment Group Ltd, Wynn Macau Ltd, and Genting Hong Kong Ltd, where she was Vice President of Marketing for the company’s cruise casino operations.
After leaving Okada Manila in 2021, Tam took a short break from the gaming industry to pursue a culinary course in the United Kingdom, an interest she shared on social media.
Okada Manila’s third-quarter results
Tam’s return comes as Universal Entertainment Corp, the operator of Okada Manila, announced its third-quarter results for 2025. The company posted gross gaming revenue (GGR) of PHP8.23 billion ($141.4 million), up from PHP6.97 billion ($119.78 million) in the same quarter last year.
The increase was led by a strong performance in VIP table games, which generated PHP2.6 billion ($44.68 million) compared to PHP1.49 billion ($25.61 million) in the previous year. Gaming machine revenue also rose from PHP3 billion (US$51.56 million) to PHP3.3 billion ($56.71 million).
However, mass table games recorded a slight drop to PHP2.45 billion ($42.19 million) from PHP2.51 billion ($43.13 million). Despite this, rolling chip volume for VIP players doubled, reaching PHP94.29 billion ($1.62 billion).
The overall revenue for the quarter grew to PHP9.16 billion, compared with PHP40.69 billion ($699.26 million) in the same period last year. Visitor traffic also increased, with 1.41 million guests recorded during the quarter and hotel occupancy improving to 87 percent.
In a separate report, Okada Manila’s promoter stated that the resort’s casino GGR stood at PHP6.98 billion (US$119.9 million), representing a 15.3 percent decline year-on-year. However, the property’s adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortisation (EBITDA) rose by 2 percent to PHP1.11 billion.
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