32 million adult Filipinos are gamblers, Pagcor records show

MANILA, Philippines— Thirty-two million Filipinos — roughly half of the 60 million adult population in the country — are gamblers, according to the latest government records.

As of July 15, 2025, the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor) has recorded 32.117 million “Filipino electronic gaming players.”

READ: Pagcor-open-to-stricter-regulations-vs-online-gambling

It was an increase of almost 200 percent from last year’s 8.2 million recorded gamblers as noted by Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian, disclosing Pagcor’s data at a Senate hearing on Thursday.

READ: To-ban-or-regulate-senate-probes-online-gambling-in-ph

“When I saw this, Senator (Miguel) Zubiri, I fell off my chair,”  Gatchalian said.

“There are 32 million gamblers in our country. That’s one-third of our total population. Half of our adult population — since we have around 60 million adults — are gambling. When I saw this, I almost fell off my chair,” he said in Filipino.

According to the senator, Pagcor should have already been more cautious when it saw that the number of gamblers reached 8 million last year.

Pagcor’s record showed that the number of gamblers in 2018 was only about 469,000. But it jumped to 1.4 million in 2022;  2.4 million in 2023;  8.2 million in 202;  and 32.117 million as of July this year.

“That’s an increase of almost 200% from last year.  That’s why it’s frightening. If we don’t stop this now, I believe that by next year, our entire adult population would be gambling,” Gatchalian said.

“What’s even more alarming is that some games and operators are still slipping through. Our regulations aren’t effective—they’re not afraid of them.”

“That’s why my advice to Pagcor after this hearing is to shut down all violators. Because what’s happening now is truly alarming,” Gatchalian added.

Gatchalian has filed a bill, seeking to regulate online gambling in the country. But some of his colleagues, including Zubiri, want it banned immediately. /mr

(2025/08/14-14:40)

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