PAGCOR CEO says Philippine gaming revenue could fall by up to 19%
Alejandro Tengco cited the Middle East conflict and stricter e-wallet controls as key factors that could impact the country’s gaming industry.
The Philippines.- The Philippine gaming industry could see gross gaming revenue (GGR) decline by as much as 19 per cent in 2026. That’s according to Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) chairman and CEO Alejandro Tengco, who pointed to external and regulatory pressures affecting the sector.
Speaking to the press during the SiGMA Asia Summit in Manila, Tengco warned that the ongoing conflict in the Middle East and the Philippines’ new restrictions on digital payment channels could weigh on gaming activity and consumer spending. According to local media reports, PAGCOR estimates that industry GGR could fall to around PHP357bn (US$6.1bn) this year, compared with an earlier projection of PHP440bn (US$7.5bn).
One of the challenges identified by the regulator is the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ directive last year that required e-wallet providers to delink gambling services from their platforms. Tengco noted that online gaming transactions fell sharply following the implementation, with industry data previously showing declines of around 50 per cent shortly after the policy took effect.
As for the Middle East conflict, Tengco was cited by The Star as saying: “Prior to this crisis, the online gaming segment had already overtaken the land-based casinos. But we’re not seeing the same thing after the Middle East crisis.”
Tengco reiterated PAGCOR’s commitment to balancing industry growth with player protection, highlighting responsible gaming initiatives, enhanced compliance requirements and efforts to strengthen safeguards for consumers while maintaining a sustainable regulatory framework.
“The true measure of this industry is not simply its size or rate of expansion, but our ability to ensure that gaming remains properly regulated, socially responsible and genuinely beneficial to the communities we serve,” he said in his opening speech during the event.
