MANILA — The Philippine gaming industry generated PHP94.51 billion in gross gaming revenues (GGR) in the third quarter of 2025, slightly lower than the PHP94.61 billion recorded in the same period last year, according to the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (PAGCOR).

PAGCOR said the Electronic Games (E-Games) segment remained the strongest performer, growing 17.4 percent to PHP41.95 billion from PHP35.71 billion year on year.

PAGCOR Chairman and CEO Alejandro Tengco said the increase in E-Games revenues was mainly driven by strong July figures, as earnings in August and September declined following the mandatory delinking of e-wallets from legitimate gaming platforms.

“The figures reflect an industry that is adjusting to necessary safeguards,” Tengco said in a statement. “The delinking of e-wallets resulted in a short-term decline in activity toward the latter part of the quarter. However, these measures are vital to protect players and ensure secure, transparent transactions.”

He also warned against the expansion of illegal online gaming sites that operate without oversight.

“These unauthorized platforms do not follow responsible gaming standards, do not pay taxes, and put players at risk of data theft and fraud,” Tengco said. “We urge the public to avoid illegal sites and to engage only with PAGCOR-licensed platforms.”

All other gaming segments recorded lower earnings during the quarter. PAGCOR-operated casinos fell 11.6 percent to PHP3.22 billion from PHP3.64 billion, while licensed casinos declined 10.2 percent to PHP45.56 billion from PHP50.72 billion. Bingo revenues also dropped 16.2 percent to PHP3.79 billion from PHP4.52 billion.

PAGCOR said PAGCOR-operated gaming venues contributed 3.4 percent of the total GGR, licensed casinos accounted for 48.2 percent, E-Games 44.4 percent, and bingo operations 4 percent.

Despite the overall decline, Tengco said he remains confident that the industry will regain momentum as players adapt to new e-wallet protocols and authorities intensify enforcement against illegal gambling platforms.