BY ALEX ALAGON
BY ALEX ALAGON
NEARLY all Filipinos (92%) are aware of online gambling, but only 3 in 10 (29%) reported either using or expressing interest in using such platforms, according to the April 2025 national survey conducted by independent public opinion firm WR Numero. Notably, interest is higher among younger, urban, and higher-income Filipinos.
The April 2025 edition of the Philippine Public Opinion Monitor asked respondents about their awareness, usage, and interest in online gambling.
Awareness of online gambling is widespread across the country, with only 1 in 10 Filipinos saying they are unaware of the activity. This high level of awareness is consistent across regional clusters, age groups, income classes, and areas of residence. (See Table 1)
The nationwide survey found that younger, urban, and wealthier Filipinos are more likely to engage in online gambling.
Despite widespread awareness, 71% of Filipinos say they do not use online gambling platforms and are not interested in trying them. Meanwhile, 24% say they have gambled online: 10% are current users, while 14% are past users. Some 5% have not tried online gambling but expressed interest. (See Table 2)
Among those aged 30 and below, 16% are current users, 19% are past users, and 3% are interested but have not yet tried it. Current usage drops to 7% among those aged 31 to 59, and 3% among those 60 and older. Interest in those who have not yet used is slightly higher among the older groups (around 6%) than the youngest group (3%). (See Table 2)
Among Class ABC Filipinos, 16% are current users and 30% are past users, while 54% say they are not interested. Usage declines among Class D (14% current users) and Class E (8% current users). Interest without prior use is highest among Class E at 6%, followed by Class D at 4%, and less than 1% among Class ABC. (See Table 2)
In urban areas, 11% are current users, 20% are past users, and 6% are interested but have not tried. In rural areas, 9% are current users, 10% are past users, and 4% are interested. A larger share of rural residents (77%) say they are not interested, compared to 63% of urban residents. (See Table 2)
Regionally, Metro Manila reports the highest combined rate of experience with online gambling, with 12% currently using and 29% as past users. Only 58% of Metro Manila respondents say they are not interested. In comparison, 69% in Mindanao, 71% in the rest of Luzon, and 82% in the Visayas say they are not interested and have never used online gambling platforms. (See Table 2)
Mindanao records the highest current usage at 13%, followed by Metro Manila (12%), the rest of Luzon (8%), and the Visayas (7%). Interest without prior use is most notable in the rest of Luzon at 8%, compared to 5% in Mindanao, 3% in the Visayas, and less than 1% in Metro Manila. (See Table 2)
The nationwide survey, conducted from March 31 to April 7, 2025, was done through face-to-face interviews with a nationally representative sample of 1,894 registered voters residing in the Philippines.
At the national level, it has a margin of error of ±2% at a 95% confidence level. At the subnational level, the margin of error is ±6% for the National Capital Region, ±5% for North and Central Luzon, ±5% for South Luzon, ±5% for the Visayas, and ±5% for Mindanao, all at the same 95% confidence level.
