Papua New Guinea could soon enter the regulated casino sector for the first time, with the Pacific Pearl project in Port Moresby moving closer to opening almost two decades after legislation established a framework for casino gaming.
Located on the waterfront within the Paga Hill Special Economic Zone, a short distance from the capital’s city center, Pacific Pearl has begun recruiting staff as developers prepare for a potential launch later this year. The project still requires final licensing approval before operations can begin.
The venue is expected to become the country’s first licensed casino since the Gaming Control Act 2007 laid the groundwork for a regulated gambling market. Industry observers see the development as a significant milestone for Papua New Guinea’s gaming sector, which has operated without a casino despite the existence of gambling activity across the country.
The project is backed by a Chinese development company involved in the Paga Hill area, while Fortuna Investments serves as both a co-investor and the operator responsible for casino management.
Fortuna has previous experience in several Asian gaming markets. The company was involved in the launch of Tiger Palace in Nepal, operates gaming activities at Jade Club in Hanoi, Vietnam, and has participated in other casino projects across the region. Its track record also includes work related to the liquidation of assets from the former Imperial Palace resort in Saipan.
Kevin Wilcocks, who previously worked alongside Fortuna on the Tiger Palace project and later held roles with Big Daddy casinos in Goa, India, has taken on the position of General Manager and is currently based in Port Moresby.
“We’re working to open,” Tim Shepherd, Fortuna Senior Partner, told Inside Asian Gaming. “Our partners have been in PNG for many years now and they are confident they’ll get the license. Part of it is we have to stock the casino with gaming products and gaming people, but when we invite the government to take a look, they’ll see we’re ready to go.”
Venue Targets Local and International Customers
When operations begin, Pacific Pearl plans to offer around 100 gaming machines and 20 gaming tables, alongside a restaurant and dedicated VIP facilities.
Management expects the property to attract several customer groups. According to Shepherd, local residents already demonstrate familiarity with gambling products, particularly slot machines. Estimates suggest approximately 5,000 slot machines currently operate across smaller venues throughout Papua New Guinea.
“Gaming in PNG, slot machines in particular as well as racing, it’s not a new thing for the locals,” Shepherd explains. “I’m not scared that the locals won’t play, I think they absolutely will. There is also a large Australian and New Zealand expatriate population there for oil and gas, and I’m sure they will be interested. And then there is a big population of Chinese that I know have already been eying off our VIP rooms. I’ve no doubt they will be good customers. So, there are actually three distinct markets, all of them pretty interesting.”
The casino’s VIP offering is expected to appeal particularly to the city’s Chinese expatriate community, while workers from Australia and New Zealand employed in Papua New Guinea’s resource industries are also viewed as a potential customer base.
Government Sees Tourism Potential
Government officials have previously highlighted tourism as a central objective behind the project. In comments made during the early stages of construction in 2024, Prime Minister James Marape said the licensed casino was intended to support international visitation and provide a regulated venue for gambling activities.
“We’re observing a growing number of Asian visitors for whom gambling is a popular recreational activity,” Marape said at the time. “This project is tailored to accommodate these gambling tourists and other international patrons. While there are concerns about unregulated casino-like gambling occurring in some private settings, this licensed casino can serve as a legitimate venue.”
Marape also said the casino could help retain gambling expenditure currently flowing overseas. Wealthy Papua New Guineans frequently travel to destinations such as Cairns and Brisbane in Australia, as well as Singapore and Manila, to gamble.
Earlier remarks from the prime minister similarly described the project’s primary purpose as “attracting international visitors and residents” while offering an alternative to overseas gambling trips.
Expansion Plans Extend Beyond Initial Launch
Although the first phase of Pacific Pearl is relatively modest in scale, management has already outlined ambitions for a larger second stage of development.
“We’re not a big casino – we’re not overstretching ourselves in Phase 1 – but what I want to work on now is Phase 2 which would be considerably bigger, like five times bigger,” Shepherd reveals. “And I think that’s where the future is for this development, to create a NagaWorld-style tourist destination out of it. Phase 1 is not going to get people on planes to look at it but the Chiefs coming in creates a unique opportunity. The other idea we’ve been trying to get traction with is to build a nice Leagues Club not far from the casino that would provide a real community-based element. That’s the long-term goal, but for now we are ready to open and hopefully we can confirm some good news around that soon.”
The timing of those ambitions aligns with wider development plans in Port Moresby and the upcoming arrival of the PNG Chiefs franchise, which is scheduled to join Australia’s National Rugby League competition in 2028 as its 19th team. Papua New Guinea remains the only nation where rugby league is recognized as the national sport.
While Pacific Pearl appears closest to opening, reports indicate that another group is exploring the possibility of operating casino gaming from a floating vessel off the Papua New Guinea coast. That proposal remains at an early stage and is not expected to materialize in the near future.