From e-sabong to e-games craze

EYES WIDE OPEN

- IRIS GONZALES

Electronic casinos continue to hit the jackpot, growing exponentially and, as predicted, have shaken tycoons operating traditional casino floors.

What's happening now is similar to the e-sabong craze of the past, except that in terms of revenues - at least as officially declared by e-sabong lords back then - e-sabong raked in less than e-games.

But the craze is comparable, with more and more Filipinos getting hooked on the different e-games platforms. For sure, 2024 was the year of e-games.

This is due to the use of modern technology, said Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (PAGCOR) president and CEO Al Tengco.

Mobile gadgets in gaming and amusement will continue to play a pivotal role in shaping the future of gaming, and Tengco predicts that the sector will continue to flourish as technology increasingly becomes an integral part of people's lifestyles for both shopping and entertainment.

E-sabong was no doubt a craze at its peak during the pandemic before it was banned by the Duterte administration in 2022.

Revenue jackpot

Now, just like e-sabong, the e-games sector, which offers a wider spectrum of games - including just about everything in brick-and-mortar casinos, plus the well-loved bingo - has seen a phenomenal increase in revenue in 2024 alone, growing by 464.38 percent to P35.71 billion in the third quarter of last year from just P6.32 billion in the third quarter of 2023.

For the whole of 2024, PAGCOR expects e-games revenue to have hit P100 billion.

On the other hand, during the third quarter of the year, revenues from licensed casinos declined by 2.27 percent to reach P50.72 billion.