THE Philippines’ gaming industry saw its total revenues grow to more than a hundred billion pesos in the first quarter of 2025, driven for the first time by the growing popularity of electronic games among Filipinos, the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (PAGCOR) said yesterday.
PAGCOR chairman and CEO Alejandro Tengco reported the country’s gross gaming revenues (GGR) reached P104.12 billion in January to March this year, up 27.44% compared to the same period in 2024.
Tengo said the GGR growth seen in the first three months of the year marked a “critical turning point” for the gaming sector as electronic gaming is now the “leading revenue generation.”
“The e-games and e-bingo segment made history by becoming the industry’s top revenue driver for the first time, contributing P51.39 billion or 49.36% of the total first quarter GGR,” he said.
He added: “This represents not just revenue growth but how consumer behavior continues to shift towards digital, on-demand gaming experiences, accelerated by greater access to mobile technology.”
The PAGCOR chief said the rise of the e-games industry has “drastically reshaped the Philippine gaming landscape.”
“As digital platforms take center stage, the Philippine gaming industry is likewise undergoing a paradigm shift. Hence, our goal as a regulator is to strike the right balance between innovation, player protection and long-term industry sustainability,” Tengco said.
Licensed casinos, meanwhile, which had historically dominated the GGR landscape, generated P49.28 billion, accounting for 47.32% of the industry’s total.
“While there was a minimal dip in revenues from licensed casinos compared to last year’s figures due to growing digital competition, this segment shows sustained strength and relevance,” Tengco said.
“The performance of brick-and-mortar casinos remains critical to industry stability, particularly in tourism-driven hubs such as Entertainment City and Clark,” he added.
PAGCOR-operated casinos, on the other hand, generated P3.45 billion in revenues, accounting for the remaining 3.31% of the country’s GGR. (GMA Integrated News)
