Online gambling lifts Philippine gaming revenue to P396 billion

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April 18, 2026 | 12:00am

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine gambling industry posted P396 billion in gross gaming revenue (GGR) last year, with the online and electronic segment contributing half of the total and cushioning weaker earnings from brick?and?mortar casinos, according to the state regulator.

Data from state-run Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (PAGCOR) showed that the GGR climbed to P396.14 billion in 2025, 6.4 percent higher than P372.33 billion in 2024.

PAGCOR chairman and CEO Alejandro Tengco said the online gaming sector, which faced extreme scrutiny and calls for an outright ban amid negative social impact, accounted for 50.8 percent of total GGR take and has overtaken licensed casinos as the largest contributor.

“Online gaming is no longer a supplementary segment but has now become the leading driver of overall GGR growth,” Tengco said.

The electronic and online gaming segment, which includes e-bingo, e-games, bingo grantees and onsite and offsite poker, soared by 30 percent to P201.12 billion in revenues last year from P154.66 billion in 2024.

Tengco noted that electronic gaming revenue grew despite a temporary slump in the third quarter of 2025, following orders to de-link e-wallets, which tempered player access and payment channels.

There are more than 10 million active adult Filipino users on legal e-gambling platforms, Tengco earlier said.

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas ordered e-wallet platforms to take down in-app links to online gambling platforms in August 2025.

Implemented adjustments in digital payment systems were aimed at improving transaction traceability, ensuring player protection and reinforcing confidence in regulated online gaming, Tengco said.

However, the measures to ban online gambling platforms faced pushback from the state regulator and some officials amid concerns that they may push gaming operators to operate underground.

“The 2025 GGR performance underscores the importance of regulatory balance as the industry evolves,” he said.

“Our objective is not simply to grow revenues, but to ensure that growth is sustainable, transparent, and compliant because of a stronger regulatory environment that supports the long-term stability of the gaming industry, Tengco said.

Meanwhile, licensed casinos’ revenues dropped by 9.6 percent to P182.5 billion, representing 46.07 percent of the GGR pie.

Likewise, PAGCOR-operated casinos’ revenue slumped by 21 percent to P12.52 billion as the regulator seeks to decouple from its commercial function. This accounted for 3.16 percent of total GGR.

Aside from stiffer regulations, gaming operators said the Middle East war is starting to feel the burden of soaring oil prices on business activity and mobility.