The country’s integrated resort casinos generated Php93.36 billion in gross gaming revenues (GGR) in the first half of 2025 to sustain the momentum of the local tourism and gaming sectors, according to the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR).

In his welcome address at the Philippine Hotel Connect 2025 on Thursday, July 24, PAGCOR Chairman and CEO Alejandro H. Tengco said the country’s IR casinos accounted for nearly half of the local gaming industry’s total GGR of Php215 billion from January to June this year.

“Of the Php93.36 billion generated by the integrated resort casinos, Php16 billion was paid to PAGCOR as license fees, ensuring funding for government social services and driving the country’s economic growth,” Chairman Tengco said.

The PAGCOR chief noted that aside from contributing to government revenues, integrated resort casinos also helped position the Philippines as a competitive tourism destination.

“We have seen time and again how a thriving hospitality sector can drive employment, fuel trade, revive local enterprises, and bridge communities,” he said. “And nowhere is this more evident than in the huge tourism contributions from our licensed integrated resort casinos within and outside Metro Manila.”

Aside from paying billions in license fees, the country’s integrated resort casinos also provide significant funding support to key government institutions – including the health, education, and military sectors – through their cultural foundations.

“Their contributions are concrete examples of how tourism, hospitality, and gaming – when aligned and responsibly managed – become a catalyst for national resilience and progress.”

But alongside the gaming industry’s strong performance, Mr. Tengco emphasized the need to safeguard its growth through effective regulation and responsible gaming practices.

He underscored PAGCOR’s recent move to remove gambling advertisements from areas frequented by minors and its memorandum of understanding with the Ad Standards Council to implement stricter gaming advertising guidelines.

“As the gaming industry expands, so must our safeguards,” he said. “Hence, we have taken a firm stance against the proliferation of illegal and unregulated gaming operations that offer no safety nets or protection to players and, more importantly, no remittance or any form of revenue to the government.”

Mr. Tengco called for continued collaboration between government and the private sector to maintain the momentum of tourism recovery and long-term economic gains.

“The success of Philippine tourism is a shared journey between regulators and investors, between public ambition and private innovation,” he said. “PAGCOR will continue to walk side by side with our partners in building a globally competitive yet distinctly Filipino tourism and gaming industries.”

Organized by the Philippine Hotel Owners Association, the Philippine Hotel Connect 2025 gathered tourism and hospitality leaders to foster collaboration, discuss global and regional tourism insights and opportunities, emerging trends, among others.

Continent 8’s Vulnerability Assessment and Penetration Testing, Security Audit and Vulnerability Scan services enable Alea to further strengthen the security and resilience of its iGaming platform

Continent 8 Technologies, the leading provider of global managed hosting, connectivity, cloud and cybersecurity solutions for the iGaming and online sports betting industry, announces that it has expanded its cybersecurity collaboration with Alea.

Building on its current programme of Vulnerability Assessment and Penetration Testing (VAPT) services with Continent 8, Alea – the award-winning casino game aggregator – has deepened its partnership with Continent 8 and its cybersecurity division, C8 Secure, by integrating Security Audit and Vulnerability Scan (V-Scan) services. This strategic initiative further enhances Alea’s cybersecurity posture and underscores the company’s ongoing investment in the resilience and integrity of its infrastructure.

The expanded cybersecurity assessment programme delivers a wide range of benefits for Alea and its operator network, including:

• Identifying, assessing and mitigating vulnerabilities in IT infrastructures, applications and networks
• Ensuring compliance with industry best practises and cybersecurity frameworks by evaluating security policies, procedures and governance
• Recognising new vulnerabilities, highlighting areas for improvement and prioritising remediation efforts
• Developing a customised roadmap for ongoing improvement to enhance cybersecurity posture and maturity
• Enhancing the trust and confidence of customers and partners by implementing industry-best cybersecurity measures

Eduard Fumás, CTO at Alea: “Security is built into everything we do at Alea. We’ve always believed that operators and their players deserve the highest level of protection. This is why we’ve invested in strong encryption, fraud prevention tools and a robust infrastructure from day one.

“Working with Continent 8 has helped us put that commitment to the test. Their expertise allows us to validate and strengthen our systems with confidence. We’re proud of how far we’ve come together, and even more excited about what’s next as we keep raising the bar and building a platform that our partners can trust completely.”

Patrick Gardner, Chief Security Officer at Continent 8 added: “As Alea continues to grow and expand, its proactive commitment to maintaining a secure iGaming aggregator platform becomes paramount. In our ongoing collaboration with Alea, we remain dedicated to fostering and supporting their cybersecurity initiatives – ensuring that both Alea and its extensive partner ecosystem stay protected, resilient and prepared.”

Continent 8 will be exhibiting at SBC Summit Lisbon, from 16-18 September at Stand C80.

The UAE Lottery, operated by The Game LLC and regulated by the General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority (GCGRA), is expanding its digital gaming portfolio with the launch of two exciting new E-Instant games: Gemstone Riches and Sports Mania, provided by EQL Games. These new titles bring a fresh layer of entertainment and greater chances to win for players across the UAE.

Gemstone Riches is an exciting new game offering 196 prize tiers. Players simply match their numbers with the lucky numbers to win the corresponding prize, with multiple chances to win on a single ticket. The game also features a bonus round unlocked by revealing five gemstone bonus symbols, where players select four gems to win more prizes. With entry prices ranging from AED 2 to AED 50 and top rewards of up to AED 500,000, Gemstone Riches is designed to be accessible and thrilling for all players.

Sports Mania brings a sporty twist to digital scratch games, with 41 prize tiers and an exciting multiplier feature. Players choose their ticket price and reveal their symbols, winning when their symbols match both the image and the quantity shown at the top. A multiplier, of up to x50 can be applied to boost the player’s total final winnings significantly. Like Gemstone Riches, ticket prices range from AED 2 to AED 50 with prizes up to AED 500,000.

“With the addition of Gemstone Riches and Sports Mania, we’re building on the momentum of our E-Instant portfolio and continuing to expand the variety and quality of our digital game offerings. These new titles introduce simple, interactive formats and creative themes that align with our focus on safe, accessible, and engaging gameplay,” said Bishop Woosley, Director of Lottery Operations at The Game LLC

These two additions mark a new chapter for The UAE Lottery’s digital offerings, enhancing gameplay variety and delivering greater player engagement through interactive, easy-to-play formats. Both games are now available on The UAE Lottery website: www.theuaelottery.ae.

As the first and only federally licensed lottery in the UAE and Gulf region, The UAE Lottery remains committed to setting high standards for regulated gaming. Its focus on responsible gaming is central to how it operates, from ensuring every game prioritizes player protection and integrity, to supporting socially responsible initiatives that benefit the wider community.