Philippines gaming jobs surge as digital skills reshape sector
The Philippine gambling industry employed 38,125 people in 2024 and paid the highest salaries across the country’s Arts, Entertainment and Recreation sector, according to new Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) data.
The PSA’s 2024 Annual Survey of Philippine Business and Industry, released last Friday, found that gambling and betting activities accounted for 49.2 per cent of the sector’s 77,554 workers. The industry also paid the highest average annual compensation at PHP688,750 ($11,218) per employee, ahead of creative arts and entertainment activities at PHP538,870 ($8,777).
The sector also remained the biggest revenue generator, contributing PHP315.97 billion ($5.14 billion), or 87.3 per cent of the Arts, Entertainment and Recreation sector’s total revenue.
While the figures underline gaming’s growing economic contribution, industry leaders say they also reflect a structural shift as digital gaming creates demand for more specialised, technology-driven roles.
In a statement shared exclusively with SiGMA News, the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) said digitalisation is changing both the industry’s economic impact and workforce requirements.
“The growth of the gaming industry boosts PAGCOR’s contribution to employment, investments, tourism, technology, and government revenues,” the regulator said. “As the industry evolves, particularly in the digital space, it is creating demand for higher-skilled jobs in areas such as IT, cybersecurity, compliance, data analytics, finance, and customer support.”
“PAGCOR’s role is to ensure that this growth takes place within a well-regulated environment that protects consumers, preserves industry integrity, and promotes investor confidence,” the gaming regulator said.
“We want legitimate operators to thrive, but we are equally committed to maintain strict regulatory standards, enforce compliance requirements, and support government efforts against illegal gaming activities,” it said.
“Ultimately, our objective is not simply to grow the industry, but to build a sustainable gaming environment that generates quality jobs, attracts investments, contributes to nation-building, and operates responsibly.”
Digital gaming drives workforce transformation
Ellen Joy Almanza, Managing Consultant of Philippine gaming operator Buenas PH, says the PSA figures illustrate how the industry’s employment base is shifting from traditional casino operations to digital platforms.
“The PSA numbers confirm a macroeconomic trend that has been building for years,” Almanza told SiGMA News. “The real story lies in where that value is now being generated.”
She pointed to the industry’s record PHP396.14 billion ($6.45 billion) in gross gaming revenue (GGR) in 2025, with electronic and online gaming accounting for PHP201.12 billion ($3.3 billion), or 50.77 per cent of total industry revenue.
“This data signals a mature, structural shift driven by three primary catalysts,” she said
“There has been talent migration, where employment is actively transitioning from floor-based hospitality roles to high-skill digital operations, software management, and remote platform architecture,” she said.
She also credited PAGCOR’s regulatory reforms for accelerating investment in licensed digital gaming. “The regulatory body notably slashed the GGR tax rate from 55 per cent to 35 per cent in 2024, followed by subsequent cuts down to 30 per cent for e-games to align with global standards.”
“This deliberate fiscal policy successfully pulls investment toward regulated, domestic digital platforms,” she told SiGMA News.
Almanza added that the ban on offshore-facing Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) has further reshaped the market. “The total ban on offshore-facing POGOs effectively cleansed the market ecosystem, refocusing the industry on domestic, highly compliant, PAGCOR-regulated operators such as Buenas PH.”
“The growth proves that a compliance-first, highly regulated digital gaming landscape creates sustainable, high-value tech and corporate career paths, and is now far from old assumptions of gambling as a localised or informal labour market.”
Future growth depends on skills and regulation
As online gaming expands, both PAGCOR and industry leaders believe workforce investment will become as important as revenue growth.
“We believe that the next five years will be defined by scaling sophisticated capability,” Almanza said. “The industry is rapidly shifting away from general operations and is now going toward deeply specialised technical and legal skill sets.”
She said operators will increasingly need professionals with expertise in Know Your Customer (KYC), anti-money laundering (AML), artificial intelligence, predictive analytics and responsible gaming.
“The industry requires data scientists, AI specialists, and responsible-gaming experts capable of deploying predictive analytics to identify problematic gaming behaviours and protect users via system infrastructure.”
Almanza also warned that leadership development must keep pace with rapid recruitment. “Rapid technical headcount growth without a corresponding lift in leadership maturity risks exposing operators to operational friction, thin succession lines, and catastrophic compliance gaps.”
“Those who will thrive over the next years to come will be the organisations that invest heavily in platform talent, compliance depth, and robust managerial infrastructure to withstand rising global competition and intensifying regulatory scrutiny,” she added.
PAGCOR told SiGMA News that it is already adapting its regulatory approach to keep pace with the industry’s evolution. “Digital gaming is one of the most significant developments in our industry today, and regulation must evolve alongside it.”
The regulator said it is continuously reviewing its rules to address challenges surrounding identity verification, cybersecurity, data protection, anti-money laundering compliance, and real-time monitoring.
Responsible gaming to remain central to future growth
“We have strengthened measures such as self-exclusion programmes, responsible gaming messaging, player protection mechanisms, and access to professional support services through our National Problem Gambling Helpline,” PAGCOR said in its statement.
The regulatory body added that operators are required “to actively promote responsible gaming resources so that help is visible and accessible to those who need it.”
“We therefore encourage our stakeholders to invest in employee training, upskilling, and professional development so that Filipino workers can take advantage of emerging opportunities in the digital gaming space,” PAGCOR concluded.
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