CLAIMS TO FAME
- Veteran businessman with more than 50 board roles to his name
- Sits on the Forbes Philippines Rich List with a US$815 million fortune
The Philippine offshore POGO industry may be about to fall off a cliff, but its domestic online operations are stronger than ever. According to gaming regulator PAGCOR, the nation’s legitimate online gaming sector – comprising eGames, eBingo and Bingo – generated Php20.7 billion (US$355 million) in revenues in the first half of the year, and if the rumors are to be believed, DigiPlus Interactive Corp was linked to around half of that.
DigiPlus – which owns the popular BingoPlus brand, provides backend support for online and land-based operators, and leases slot machines and operates slot arcades on behalf of PAGCOR – saw its revenues climb by 263% in the first six months of 2024 alone to Php32.5 billion (US$568 million), with net income up 377% to Php5.2 billion (US$90.8 million).
That’s great news for Tanco, the company’s chairman and a significant shareholder, who returned to Forbes’ list of the Philippines richest in 2024 with a US$815 million fortune.
DigiPlus notes that Tanco has helmed more than 50 companies during his career and remains chairman of STI Education Systems Holdings – an educational institution with 63 schools across the Philippines.
And 2024 could just be the beginning for this rising technology firm, with Tanco himself commenting recently, “[Having] accumulated a strong user base of 30 million users across our digital platforms, complemented by over 140 physical sites spread out across the country, we believe that DigiPlus is poised to dominate the flourishing Philippine digital entertainment industry.”
For the full list of 2024 Asian Gaming Power 50 winners, click here.
