Online Gambling Revenue Seen Hitting P480 B This Year

Gross revenues from online gambling in the Philippines are expected to hit P480 billion this year, driven largely by a growing number of casual Filipino players who prefer regulated platforms, according to a study conducted by sociocultural research firm The Fourth Wall.

- By KEISHA TA-ASAN

The surge in revenue reflects a post-pandemic shift in gambling behavior, with players migrating from street-based and social media betting to digital platforms perceived to be safer and more legitimate.

This behavioral shift is among the key findings of the study, which surveyed 1,250 active online gamblers across Mega Manila, Metro Cebu, Metro Davao and other key cities nationwide.

"Many shifted from unregulated markets to regulated online gambling platforms for safety and legitimacy," the study noted. "Players report having migrated from informal or unsafe gambling environments like social media betting or local street games, valuing the more secure and regulated structure of such platforms."

According to the study, the majority of Filipino online gamblers are millennials from lower-income households, often working in blue-collar or service jobs, who engage in low-stakes, leisure-based gambling.