Payment solutions key to iGaming growth in the Philippines

Zitro Games has established a strong presence in the Philippines, where its products have become “proven performers” in major casinos across Entertainment City, according to Nadège Teyssedre, EMEA Regional Sales Director at Zitro Games.

Strategic expansion across Asia

The company’s immediate priorities include launching games with Asian themes and introducing a new cabinet that complies with PAGCOR Standard 1.1, which is expected to be included in the next deployment at PAGCOR’s casinos. This standard, implemented last year, mandates that only machines meeting its requirements will be permitted for sale in the Philippines starting July 1st, 2024.

Zitro has also expanded its presence to Laos with game placements, reflecting its focus on Southeast Asia as a key growth region. “Zitro has games in Laos, which are performing as expected, and additional placements are planned. Southeast Asian markets are relatively new to us; we are currently exploring and seeking expansion,” Teyssedre noted.

Meanwhile, Thailand represents another significant opportunity as it moves toward legalizing casino operations. “The Thai market presents a significant opportunity that we cannot overlook, as it holds great promise,” Teyssedre said.

Investment bank CLSA predicts that Thailand’s casino market could generate an annual Gross Gaming Revenue (GGR) of $15.1 billion, positioning it as the third-largest globally.

Despite Macau’s status as Asia’s premier gaming destination in terms of GGR and market scale, Zitro is taking a measured approach to this highly competitive market.

Bridging digital and physical gaming

In response to the increasing convergence of digital and physical gaming experiences, Zitro says it is strategically positioning itself to cater to both sectors.

Teyssedre indicated that Zitro currently supplies game content for online gaming platforms and systems facilitating remote play. The company aims to provide a consistent and engaging experience for Zitro players across all platforms, acknowledging the evolving landscape of land-based, online, and remote gaming.

Looking ahead, she envisions a complementary relationship between online and land-based gaming: “Operators will apply cross-selling strategies to grow sales in both the land-based and online gaming worlds. However, land-based casinos must offer experiences that online gaming cannot replicate.”

Results and strategy

Speaking of Macau, the executive noted that it is aiming to “meet the evolving demands of the growing middle class,” and that it is “elevating the premium experience through innovative investments”.

Further abroad, the group notes that the “Performance of City of Dreams Manila remained solid throughout 2024, supported by increased international visitor arrivals and tourism revenue from inbound tourism expenditures, as well as the government’s heightened commitment to tourism development.”

The group is also expecting to open its casino in City of Dreams Sri Lanka in the third quarter of 2025, which the executive termed a “capital-light investment with an attractive return profile, allowing us to extend the City of Dreams brand and broaden our customer base.”

The gaming sector continues to be the primary revenue source for Macau, contributing 89.3 percent of the government’s total MOP15.95 billion ($2 billion) revenue for the first two months of the year.

Notably, while tax revenue decreased, Macau’s aggregate casino GGR for the same period increased slightly by 0.5 percent year-on-year, reaching MOP38 billion ($4.7 billion). This figure represents 15.8 percent of the government’s ambitious MOP240 billion ($30 billion) GGR forecast for 2025.