Casinos in the Clark region of the Philippines achieved a combined gross gaming revenue (GGR) of PHP14.54 billion in the first half of 2024, marking an 11.9 percent increase from the previous year, according to data released by the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp (PAGCOR).
Clark, located in Pampanga province, hosts several casinos, with more expected to open in the coming years.
Hann Philippines Inc., the master developer of the Hann Casino Resort, is currently developing the Hann Reserve property, which will feature three 18-hole golf courses, several luxury hotels, villas, and residences, according to its promoter.
In December, a Banyan Tree-branded hotel began construction at the Hann Reserve site, and in July, Hann Philippines announced that a 250-room InterContinental-branded hotel would also be part of the development.
In mid-July, PAGCOR confirmed to GGRAsia that it had received an application for a new casino resort in Clark.
While the regulator did not disclose the identity of the applicant, media reports suggested that Premium Leisure Corp, an investor in the City of Dreams Manila casino resort, plans to invest at least US$300 million in a separate casino resort in Clark.
Clark’s growth contrasted with the overall trend in GGR performance at licensed casinos across the country.
Licensed commercial-sector casinos remained the largest contributors to GGR in the Philippines, generating nearly PHP99.17 billion in the six months to June 30, although this figure represents a 6.3 percent decline year-on-year, according to PAGCOR’s data.
Large-scale casino resorts in Manila’s Entertainment City gaming zone saw their collective GGR fall by 11.4 percent year-on-year, to PHP79.42 billion in the first half of 2024.
PAGCOR-operated casinos, under its Casino Filipino network, generated PHP8.90 billion in GGR from January to June, a decline of 11.6 percent from the previous year.
Overall, the Philippine gaming sector, including non-casino operations, recorded a GGR of PHP170.94 billion in the first half of 2024, representing a 25.4 percent increase from the same period in the previous year.
This growth was driven by a 531.6 percent year-on-year surge in GGR from the electronically-delivered games segment, which reached PHP53.34 billion. In July, PAGCOR reported a net income of PHP6.56 billion for the first half of 2024, a 121.5 percent increase from the previous year.
Decongesting Manila’s casino scene and opening up more in Clark could serve the market well. More completion also would proved more competitive rates and promotions which is good for players for online gaming.
