PAGCOR to launch online Casino Filipino in Q1 2024

The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) is planning to launch its own online gaming operations early next year, banking on the growth potential of the country’s gaming industry.

Citing PAGCOR chairman and CEO Alejandro Tengco’s keynote address at the SiGMA Asia Summit 2023 in Pasay City on July 20, the agency said it plans to launch "casinofilipino.com” by the first quarter of 2024.

“It will allow players to interact with the digital counterparts of traditional casino games. It will also transcend physical boundaries and will enable users from around the world to interact and participate in virtual environments. It can reach a global audience and can establish a presence in virtual communities of avid gamers. It will likewise offer an opportunity to tap into new markets and diversify its customer base,” said Tengco.

The PAGCOR chief said that online Casino Filipino would employ virtual reality-based technology that can simulate the sights and sounds of a physical casino, thereby offering a realistic and immersive gaming experience.

He added that the online Casino Filipino will “bring several benefits and opportunities such as increased revenue, extended reach and market expansion, cost efficiency, and enhanced customer engagement.”

The gaming industry regulator also aims to modernize its slot machine operations to help sustain growth momentum.

“We have already taken the preliminary steps and entered into negotiations with different manufacturers for the modernization of our slot machines. We expect our customers to have a renewed gaming experience as we endeavor to enhance our game offerings by replacing our old machines with a total of 3,500 brand-new units of Electronic Gaming Machines under a lease agreement between PAGCOR and the manufacturer,” said Tengco.

As of the first half of 2023, PAGCOR booked a total income of P34.125 billion from gaming operations.

Of the said amount, PAGCOR’s contributions to the government stood at P22.62 billion, up 48.5% from P15.23 billion year-on-year.

“For the second half of this year, our total income from gaming operations is projected to be P37 billion, which brings to a total of P71 billion the projected income from gaming operations by the end of 2023. This is 94% compared to the 2019 record-breaking year of PAGCOR. If realized, it will be 30% higher than last year’s income of P55 billion,” said Tengco. —Ted Cordero/KBK, GMA Integrated New