Online gambling overtakes casinos as top driver of Philippine gaming
The Philippines' gaming revenue reached nearly ₱400 billion, driven by a surge in online gambling that surpassed traditional casinos.Summary
The Philippine gaming industry experienced significant growth in 2025, with gross gaming revenue (GGR) reaching nearly ₱400 billion, a 6.4 percent increase from ₱372.3 billion in 2024. This growth was primarily fueled by a surge in online and e-gaming platforms, which generated ₱201.1 billion – nearly a third more than the ₱154.7 billion recorded in the previous year. This performance allowed digital platforms to capture over half of the industry’s GGR, surpassing physical casinos as the largest contributor to the nation’s gaming revenue. Conversely, traditional casinos experienced a 9.6 percent decline in revenue, reporting ₱182.5 billion, while Pagcor-operated casinos saw a more significant 20 percent decrease to ₱12.5 billion. Despite regulatory challenges, such as the temporary impact of e-wallet de-linking, the digital sector demonstrated robust growth. Pagcor aims to maintain this momentum through a balanced regulatory approach, focusing on sustainable, transparent, and compliant growth, and is preparing to decouple its regulatory and commercial functions.
(Source：Manila Bulletin)