Section
News
Breaking news, market data, and regulatory updates from the Philippine and Southeast Asian gaming sector.
19 articles
PAGCOR-Licensed Sportsbooks Brace for a World Cup Betting Surge
With the expanded 48-team FIFA World Cup kicking off June 11, the Philippines' licensed PIGO sportsbooks face their largest single sports-betting event since the August 2025 e-wallet delinking reset the market. The tournament lands just months after PAGCOR cut the live sports betting GGR share rate to 15 percent — and the question is how much of the surge the regulated market can actually capture.
PAGCOR Q1 2026 Official Disclosure: Philippine Gross Gaming Revenue Falls 16% to PHP 87.6B
PAGCOR's official Q1 2026 quarterly disclosure puts total Philippine gross gaming revenue at PHP 87.6 billion (approximately USD 1.57 billion), down 16 percent year on year. Licensed casinos contributed PHP 44.52 billion (50.8 percent of total) while the e-gaming sector dropped 22.4 percent to PHP 39.90 billion under the weight of the August 2025 e-wallet delinking order.
Senate Anti-Online Gambling Act Hearing Reopens as Tulfo Pushes Total Ban and Meta No-Shows
The Philippine Senate's Committee on Games and Amusement reopened public hearings on February 11, 2026 to debate seven Senate bills filed under the Anti-Online Gambling Act umbrella, with chair Senator Erwin Tulfo publicly committing to a total ban posture. Meta's no-show triggered a show-cause order. The committee's deliberations now shape the regulatory horizon for the entire Philippine licensed online gambling sector.
Interpol Issues Red Notice for Philippine Gambling Tycoon Atong Ang Over Sabungeros Disappearances
Interpol issued a Red Notice in mid-April 2026 for fugitive Philippine gambling tycoon Charlie 'Atong' Ang, the principal suspect in the 2021-2022 disappearances of at least 34 sabungeros — men associated with the country's cockfighting industry. The DILG has doubled the reward to PHP 20 million as Ang remains in the country, reportedly spotted in Region 4-A.
ArenaPlus Becomes the NBA's First Official Betting Partner in the Philippines
DigiPlus's PAGCOR-licensed sportsbook ArenaPlus and the National Basketball Association announced a multiyear partnership on April 27, 2026, making ArenaPlus the league's first official betting partner in the Philippines. The deal includes integrated NBA branding, localized marketing activations, free-to-play games tied to the NBA Playoffs, and a joint commitment to responsible gambling.
DigiPlus's Brazil Bet: Eight Months Into GamePlus, BingoPlus Set to Follow in 2026
DigiPlus Interactive launched GamePlus in Brazil on September 22, 2025, the company's first international platform and first overseas market entry. Eight months in, the Brazil operation provides a strategic counterweight to the domestic post-delinking earnings pressure, with the BingoPlus international rollout planned to follow in 2026.
Bloomberry Swings to PHP 2.6B Net Loss in 2025 as VIP Slump and MegaFUNalo Costs Bite
Solaire operator Bloomberry Resorts posted a PHP 2.6 billion consolidated net loss in 2025, reversing from a PHP 2.6 billion profit the prior year, as VIP weakness, online startup costs, and the first full year of Solaire Resort North operations weighed on profitability. EBITDA fell 39 percent year on year.
DigiPlus Q1 2026 Net Income Drops 33% to PHP 2.8B as Delinking and Fuel Crisis Weigh
DigiPlus Interactive Corp. reported a 33 percent year-on-year decline in Q1 2026 net income to PHP 2.82 billion on a 25 percent revenue drop to PHP 17.24 billion, with management attributing the decline primarily to the August 2025 e-wallet delinking order and tempered consumer sentiment from the global fuel crisis.
PAGCOR Launches 24/7 National Problem Gambling Helpline in Pasay City
PAGCOR launched the 24-hour National Problem Gambling Helpline on May 26, 2026, the first round-the-clock dedicated gambling-problem support service in the Philippines. The line — (02) 8248-9568 — is run from PAGCOR's Pasay corporate office by 12 para-counselors in partnership with Seagulls Flock Organization Inc.
PAGCOR Sets August 1 Deadline to Decommission Non-Compliant B2B Gaming Systems
A May 21 memorandum from PAGCOR's Electronic Gaming Licensing Department gives every B2B supplier in the Philippine online gaming sector until July 31 to clear a fresh accreditation, or face decommissioning of their platforms and equipment from August 1, 2026.
Cambodia Revokes Zhong Huawei Casino License as Sihanoukville Crackdown Hits Eight Operators
Cambodia's Commercial Gambling Management Commission revoked the license of Casino Zhong Huawei Golden Sand International Entertainment in Sihanoukville on April 30, 2026, three weeks after a joint raid detained 104 foreign nationals and seized nearly 1,600 devices. Eight casinos have now lost licenses since April.
BingoPlus Reports PHP 2.25 Trillion in Cumulative Payouts at 2026 Anniversary
DigiPlus Interactive's flagship online bingo platform marked its anniversary in Pasay City on May 19, 2026 with a headline figure of PHP 2.25 trillion in cumulative payouts to over three million verified Filipino users since launch.
GCash Casino Partnerships Hit 47 in Q2 2026 as Cashless Push Accelerates
GCash's integrations with PAGCOR-licensed gaming operators have grown to 47, with the e-wallet now embedded in nearly every major PIGO and e-Games platform. The pace of integration is reshaping how Filipino players fund accounts — and how regulators monitor the flow.
Cambodia Gaming License Framework: Three-Tier System Targets Former POGO Operators
Cambodia's new three-tier licensing framework signals Southeast Asia's next regulatory battleground as displaced POGO operators seek new jurisdictions.
PAGCOR Privatization Bill SB 2814 Advances in Senate Committee
SB 2814 proposes separating PAGCOR's role as regulator from operator, marking the most significant restructuring proposal in the agency's 47-year history.
Bloomberry Resorts Posts 18% Revenue Drop in Q1 2026 as VIP Weakness Deepens
Solaire operator reports PHP14.2 billion in net revenue with VIP rolling chip volume down 26%, but management reaffirms Solaire North's Q4 2027 soft opening timeline and PHP55 billion project budget.
Altenar Powers DigiPlus ArenaPlus Sportsbook in the Philippines
Malta-based sportsbook technology provider Altenar partners with DigiPlus to power the ArenaPlus sports betting platform, expanding digital sports wagering in the Philippine market.
Okada Play Commercial Launch: PhilWeb and Tiger Resort Go Digital
PhilWeb and Tiger Resort launch Okada Play, a new digital gaming platform bridging the gap between integrated resort floors and online accessibility.
Philippine GGR Falls 15.8% to $1.42bn in Q1 2026
Gross gaming revenue across the Philippine gaming sector dropped 15.8% year-on-year to $1.42 billion in the first quarter of 2026, raising questions about market trajectory.