The gross gaming revenues of the Philippine gaming industry reached P104.12 billion in the first quarter of the year, a 27.44 percent increase from P81.7 billion a year earlier, driven by the electronic games (e-games) sector.
Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor) chairman and CEO Alejandro H. Tengco said in a statement on Wednesday this development marks a critical turning point for the gaming industry.
“The e-games and e-bingo segments made history by becoming the industry’s top revenue drivers for the first time, contributing P51.39 billion or 49.36 percent of the total first quarter gross gaming revenues,” Tengco said.
“This represents not just revenue growth but how consumer behavior continues to shift toward digital, on-demand gaming experiences, accelerated by greater access to mobile technology,” he added.
The rise of the e-games sector has reshaped the Philippine gaming landscape, Tengco noted.
“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,” he said.
Licensed casinos, which historically dominated gaming revenues, generated P49.28 billion, accounting for 47.32 percent 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.
Meanwhile, Pagcor-operated casinos generated P3.45 billion or 3.31 percent of the gross revenues.
In a press conference in February, Tengco said he expects gaming revenues to reach a record P450 billion to P480 billion this year, from last year’s record-high P410.5 billion.
