Clark, Pampanga Casinos Outshine Other Philippine Gaming Hubs

The casinos in the Clark region of the Philippines have emerged as a beacon of growth in an otherwise challenging landscape for the country’s gaming industry.

GGR Asia reports that, according to figures from the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp (PAGCOR), Clark’s casinos posted a combined gross gaming revenue (GGR) of PHP14.54 billion (US$254.4 million) in the first half of 2024.

This marked an 11.9 percent increase from the same period last year. This surge stands out, particularly as it contrasts with the downward trend seen in other major gaming hubs across the Philippines.

Clark, located in Pampanga province, has become a significant player in the nation’s casino scene, with several established venues and more expected to open in the coming years. The region’s impressive performance defied the broader market dynamics, which saw a decline in GGR across other licensed casinos in the country.

While Clark’s gaming industry thrived, the country’s overall gaming sector encountered challenges. The licensed commercial-sector casinos, which remain the largest contributors to the national GGR, recorded nearly PHP99.17 billion in revenue for the first half of the year. However, this figure represented a 6.3 percent decline from the previous year. Manila’s Entertainment City, a key area for large-scale casino resorts, experienced an even steeper drop, with its collective GGR falling by 11.4 percent year-on-year to PHP79.42 billion.

PAGCOR-operated casinos, under the Casino Filipino brand, also felt the impact of the challenging environment, with GGR down by 11.6 percent year-on-year to PHP8.90 billion for the January to June period.

Despite these declines, the broader Philippine gaming sector, including non-casino operations, managed to produce a total GGR of PHP170.94 billion in the first half of 2024, reflecting a 25.4 percent increase from the prior year. This growth was largely driven by a remarkable 531.6 percent year-on-year surge in GGR from electronically-delivered games, which contributed PHP53.34 billion to the total.

The overall resilience of the sector was further underscored by Pagcor’s financial performance. The state-run regulator reported a net income of PHP6.56 billion for the first half of 2024, a significant 121.5 percent increase from the same period in the previous year.

Read related article: E-games boost PAGCOR gaming revenues up 32% in Q2 2024