Phl gaming revenues nearly double in 2022

The local gambling industry benefited from increased operational capacity as the economy further reopened last year, with its gross gaming revenue (GGR) almost doubling to P214 billion.

Data from state-run Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (PAGCOR) showed that the industry’s GGR soared by 90 percent to P214.34 billion last year from P113.09 billion in 2021.

Casinos still accounted for the huge chunk of GGR at 78 percent as they posted a 90-percent hike in revenues to P168.22 billion.

Of the total revenue from casinos, P146.21 billion came from the Entertainment City in Parañaque.

Revenues raised by other licensees likewise jumped by 83 percent to P30.24 billion in 2022 from P16.55 billion a year ago, contributing 14 percent to the total.

Broken down, contributions to the GGR amounted to P20.12 billion from Bingo operations and P8.1 billion from electronic games.

Some P2.03 billion in revenue was recorded from electronic sabong or cockfighting, which only came from the first semester of 2022.

The Duterte administration banned esabong activities nationwide in May 2022, directing all e-sabong licensees to take down their websites, including accredited auxiliary operations and off-cockpit betting stations.

The ban was sustained by President Marcos through the issuance of an executive order in December last year.

PAGCOR-owned games also nearly doubled to P15.88 billion from P8.19 billion in 2021, cornering the remaining seven percent of the total GGR.

Slot machines secured more than half at P8.47 billion followed by table games at P5.7 billion and junkets with P1.56 billion.

PAGCOR also earned P86.58 million from in-house Bingo and another P59.88 million from poker plays, both onsite and offsite.

Last year, the government allowed casinos and other games to return to their operations at much bigger capacities.

PAGCOR earlier said it expects the industry to continue its growth momentum as the Philippines continues to open its borders to tourism.