Most Filipino online gamblers are low-stakes players, survey says
A new study by research firm Fourth Wall found that 89% of online gambling players in the Philippines are low-stakes bettors, spending less than PHP5,000 (US$87)1 PHP = 0.0175 USD
2025-07-25Powered by CMG CurrenShift monthly, about 10% of their earnings.
Most participants were millennials from lower-income homes, according to the 1,250 respondents to the survey.
The research revealed that 75% of players believe a ban on igaming would push them toward unregulated platforms, while 80% supported stronger regulation targeting illegal operators to control scams and addiction.
DigiPlus Interactive Corp., operator of BingoPlus, ArenaPlus, and GameZone, urged lawmakers to approach the issue with “fact-based dialogue.”
“We are open to evolving and improving wherever needed. If there are new standards to meet or better ways to protect players, we will act swiftly and responsibly,” DigiPlus Chair Eusebio Tanco told Jiji Press. “But please, do not condemn an industry, and the 50,000 Filipino families who rely on it, without hearing the facts first.”
DigiPlus highlighted that its platforms use Know-Your-Customer checks, age verification, self-exclusion tools, and responsible-gaming prompts. The company said its operations are taxed and audited by PAGCOR and the Bureau of Internal Revenue.
The study also noted that most players migrated from informal street gambling like sabong or perya, treating igaming as “a manageable form of recreation” tied to Filipino social and cultural practices.
Meanwhile, the Catholic Church has reiterated its call for a total ban, citing gambling’s moral and social costs.
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Charlotte Capewell brings her passion for storytelling and expertise in writing, researching, and the gambling industry to every article she writes. Her specialties include the US gambling industry, regulator legislation, igaming, and more.
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