Philippines integrated resorts post €1.4 billion GGR in H1 2025
Integrated resort (IR) casinos in the Philippines generated PHP93.36 billion (€1.4 billion) in gross gaming revenue (GGR) in the first half of 2025, contributing almost half of the total PHP215 billion (€3.22 billion) recorded by the gaming industry during the same period, according to the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR).
PAGCOR Chairman and CEO Alejandro Tengco revealed the data in his keynote address at the Philippine Hotel Connect 2025 held at Pasay City. The event, organised by the Philippine Hotel Owners Association, brought together key figures in the tourism and hospitality sector.
“Of the PHP93.36 billion (€1.4 billion) generated by the integrated resort casinos, PHP16 billion (€239.7 million) was paid to PAGCOR as licence fees, ensuring funding for government social services and driving the country’s economic growth,” Tengco said.
Tourism and hospitality impact
Tengco emphasised that the gaming sector, particularly IR casinos, plays a critical role not just in revenue generation but also in positioning the country as a competitive destination for international travellers. “We have seen time and again how a thriving hospitality sector can drive employment, fuel trade, revive local enterprises, and bridge communities,” he said. “And nowhere is this more evident than in the huge tourism contributions from our licensed integrated resort casinos within and outside Metro Manila.”
He added that these IR operators also support other government institutions through cultural foundations, which fund programmes across education, health, and the military.
“Their contributions are concrete examples of how tourism, hospitality, and gaming – when aligned and responsibly managed – become a catalyst for national resilience and progress,” said Tengco.
Industry growth calls for stronger regulation
While highlighting the strong performance of the gaming sector, Tengco emphasised the need for proper safeguards and responsible gaming practices. “As the gaming industry expands, so must our safeguards,” he said.
He reiterated PAGCOR’s firm position on curbing illegal and unregulated gambling. “Hence, we have taken a firm stance against the proliferation of illegal and unregulated gaming operations that offer no safety nets or protection to players and, more importantly, no remittance or any form of revenue to the government.”
Tengco also noted PAGCOR’s recent initiative to limit gambling advertisements in areas accessed by minors and the agency’s memorandum of understanding with the Ad Standards Council to apply tighter advertising standards.
Public-private collaboration encouraged
Calling for sustained collaboration between government regulators and private sector stakeholders, Tengco pointed to the shared nature of the industry’s current progress and long-term potential.
“The success of Philippine tourism is a shared journey between regulators and investors, between public ambition and private innovation,” he said. “PAGCOR will continue to walk side by side with our partners in building a globally competitive yet distinctly Filipino tourism and gaming industries.”
GGR performance in 2024
The recent half-year result follows a strong performance in 2024, when the Philippines’ total GGR reached a record PHP372.33 billion (€6.14 billion), a 30.5 percent increase from PHP285.27 billion (€4.71 billion) in 2023. This record was primarily driven by growth in the E-Games and E-Bingo sector, which saw a 165.7 percent year-over-year increase.
Still, land-based casinos remained the top contributors, bringing in PHP201.83 billion in 2024. Tengco, commenting earlier this year, said that this GGR feat underscores the crucial role of licensed casinos in sustaining the growth momentum of the Philippine gaming sector; they remain the country’s biggest revenue drivers and a major source of government funding for socio-civic programmes.
Outlook for 2025 and beyond
The first-half performance of IR casinos suggests the gaming sector may once again account for a major portion of the industry’s annual GGR in 2025, following a pattern seen in previous years.
Tengco closed his address at the Philippine Hotel Connect 2025 by reinforcing PAGCOR’s commitment to working with all stakeholders. “PAGCOR will continue to walk side by side with our partners in building a globally competitive yet distinctly Filipino tourism and gaming industries,” he said.
