The online gambling industry in the Philippines is undergoing a significant transformation. The latest industry analysis shows that among the 64 operators holding official remote gambling licenses in the country, only about one-third are maintaining stable profitability, while the rest face challenges of insufficient revenue to support ongoing operations.
At a recent remote gambling discussion at the Lisbon SBC Summit, professional lawyer Tonet Quiogue pointed out that with the Philippine political level pushing for stricter regulatory measures, some operators with insufficient operational capabilities will face market elimination. Although industry data shows that remote gambling revenue will grow by 166% year-on-year in 2024, reaching 155 billion pesos, and continue to grow by 83% in the first half of 2025, achieving nearly 115 billion pesos in revenue, the regulatory environment is undergoing significant changes.
Since the beginning of 2024, the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) has suspended the issuance of new remote gambling licenses, aiming to establish a more comprehensive regulatory framework. Industry experts believe that the future industry will show a "survival of the fittest" trend, where enterprises with strong profitability and a well-established compliance system will gain more development space.
Industry analysis indicates that responsible gambling measures, compliance protection mechanisms, and minimum revenue standards will become basic requirements that operators must meet. Although there have been legislative attempts to change the online gambling market landscape recently, PAGCOR is expected to continue to play a core regulatory role, possibly gaining greater enforcement powers to combat illegal operations and regulatory violations.
Industry insiders remind that the online gambling industry in the Philippines is at a critical stage of transformation, and operators need to closely monitor regulatory policy changes, timely adjust business strategies, and adapt to increasingly strict compliance requirements. The trend of industry consolidation is expected to continue, and market participants need to strengthen their competitiveness to meet challenges.
