The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) is looking to upgrade their Casino Filipino locations with new slot machines and upgraded tables for table games in hopes of casino revenue returning to pre-pandemic levels.
After numerous calls for PAGCOR to sell their domestic casinos to privatize the industry and assume the sole role of regulation, PAGCOR CEO Alejandro Tengco said that after one year under the new President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., gambling revenue has nearly returned to the level seen in 2019. Tengco expects that the 2023 gross gaming revenue (GGR) will match or exceed the record set in 2019.
PAGCOR announced that upgrading their Casino Filipino facilities will increase the brand’s value before they plan to sell off the casinos.
Online Casino Options In The Philippines
PAGCOR has also announced that they plan to launch a state-of-the-art 3D online casino under the Casino Filipino brand; however, it is still being determined if PH residents will be allowed access. According to Reuters, there are currently 32 online casinos operating in the Philippines that cater to offshore markets but are restricted from offering their services to the Philippines.
Philippine residents can access offshore online casinos operating from trusted gaming jurisdictions. There have been calls to outlaw offshore casinos, but as of now, they are still allowed and legal to use.
What Casino Games Can PH Locals Play Online?
The casino games found online are nearly identical to the games you will find in domestic casinos. Still, online casinos offer more funding options, bonuses, lower wages, and reward perks.
Online casino games utilize the power of random number generators (rng) to provide fair odds that mimic what you would find in the big Las Vegas casinos. Since online casinos operating in the Philippines use rng’s they can offer lower buy-ins for popular games; the only exception is the live dealer games found at select online operations.
Popular Online Casino Games Include:
- Blackjack
- Baccarat
- Roulette
- Slots
- Video Poker
- Craps
- Sic Bo
- Keno
- Live Dealer Games
- And more
What’s Next For PAGCOR and Casino Filipino?
As mentioned above, PAGCOR plans to sell its casino brands by 2025 to focus solely on regulation of the gambling industry in the Philippines. Upgrades for the Casino Filipino facilities are expected to come in early 2024. Casino Filipino VR is also slated to launch in 2024, but there is no set-in-stone timeline for the new online casino.
PAGCOR has also stated that the upgrades of their government-owned casino facilities could expedite the sale of the casinos by offering more value to the locations.