Online gambling in the Philippines is experiencing a structural reversal—not a general rise across the industry, but compliant platforms are encroaching on the gray areas. AI gambling research institute Blask released a Q1 in-depth report on June 5th, showing that licensed platforms advanced from 51% in January to 58% in March, while POGO was compressed from 49% to 42%. According to the PASA official website, this report covers all 257 operators in the Philippines, with the core conclusion being: compliance is seizing territory, POGO is losing ground.
1.17 billion big market + 32% Licensed platforms 1.17 billion big market + 326.37 million first surpass POGO
Blask uses its self-developed CEB (Competitive Earnings Benchmark) model to estimate the market, projecting that by Q1 2026, the median online gambling revenue for players in the Philippines will reach $1.17 billion, a 32% increase year-over-year—solid expansion of the online consumption market. The way the cake is divided is quite enduring: POGO operators account for about 46% of the revenue ($535 million), while PAGCOR licensed compliant platforms take 54% ($637 million). The change in shares further illustrates the issue—from nearly a 51:49 split between compliance and POGO in January, the structure drastically shifted within just two months, with licensed platforms soaring to 58% and POGO shrinking to 42%. The momentum of compliant business in attracting funds is visibly strong.
Why do Blask and PAGCOR data "clash"? The statistical boundaries are vastly different
At this point, many might wonder: Blask reports a 32% surge in online gambling, while the official PAGCOR Q1 financial report shows the entire industry's GGR at 87.6 billion pesos (year-over-year -15.9%), with the electronic gambling sector plummeting **22.4%** to just 39.9 billion pesos—isn't this contradictory? In fact, the clash in data stems from fundamental differences in statistical boundaries. PAGCOR only counts registered licensed merchants and physical casinos, while overseas POGO sites are not on its list; Blask, on the other hand, is rooted in the real consumption of end-users, including all platforms regardless of whether they have a Philippine license or not. Simply put, PAGCOR sees "the cake within the compliance circle shrinking," while Blask sees "the entire online market expanding, just redistributing shares."
Top 10, the first 8 licensed, 7 with growth exceeding 400%, 2 POGO all declining
The top-tier structure is even more clear. Blask's brand demand index in the Philippine market has nearly tripled year-over-year, with public participation in online gambling remaining high. Among the Top 10, the first 8 all hold regular PAGCOR licenses, with 7 brands experiencing a year-over-year growth rate exceeding 400%, and 3 even breaking through 3000%—the growth momentum is exceptionally fierce. In contrast, the only 2 POGO enterprises on the list have all declined year-over-year. In plain terms: this is not a general rise across the industry, but a redistribution of existing customers within the compliance circle—top licensed players crazily dividing up new traffic, continuously squeezing POGO's living space with policy and compliance advantages. The future days for offshore gambling are likely only going to get tougher.
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This article is from "PASA-Global iGaming Leader" gambling news channel:https://t.me/pasa_news
Original deep gambling channel:https://t.me/gamblingdeep
Free data report: @pasa_research
PASA Matrix: @pasa002_bot
PASA official website: https://www.pasa.news
