Digital gaming drives a 27% surge in Philippine gambling: What’s behind the growth?

Gaming operations and licences have been the primary drivers of revenue growth for the Philippine gaming market, while the emergence of e-games and e-bingo has seen revenues soar. This shows the key impact of the shift in consumer demands for digital technology, facilitated by the increased penetration of smartphones in the Philippines.

The significance of e-games and e-bingo

In a previous article, we stated that favourable market conditions and government operations were key reasons the Philippine gaming industry was soaring. This has proven to be true, and PAGCOR continues to demonstrate its efficiency and capabilities in the market.

However, the popularity of e-games and e-bingo has played a huge role in development. As stated by Alejandro H. Tengco, PACGOR Chairman and CEO:

“The e-games and e-bingo segment made history by becoming the industry’s top revenue driver for the first time, contributing PHP 51.39 billion or 49.36% of the total first quarter GGR.”

“This represents not just revenue growth but how consumer behaviour continues to shift towards digital, on-demand gaming experiences, accelerated by greater access to mobile technology.”

This market growth is highlighting previously anticipated trends. Wider internet accessibility, particularly due to the convenience of smartphones, is making a large impact on the industry.

Are licensed casinos still playing a role?

Licensed casinos have long been an important facet of the iGaming market in the Philippines, dominating GGR. Land-based casinos are equally important, providing overall stability.

Tourism is still a key driver in the Philippine gaming industry, and key hubs like Metro Manila still generate revenues from their casinos. Advertising is also encouraging tourists to gamble online.

Chairman Tengco has spoken about the importance of licensed casinos and the performance of brick-and-mortar casinos:

“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.”

“The performance of brick-and-mortar casinos remains critical to industry stability, particularly in tourism-driven hubs such as Entertainment City and Clark.”

What the future holds

It looks evident that the Philippine gaming industry will continue to grow exponentially throughout the rest of 2025. The substantial year-on-year growth for Q1 highlights this, and it is likely that the upward trend will continue.

While further improvements need to be made regarding responsible gambling, PAGCOR is cracking down on regulations, ensuring that more operators enter the regulated market.

As digital gaming becomes more prominent, the Philippine market looks healthy. Further introductions of advanced technologies mean that growth is unlikely to slow down in the near future.