Panama closed September 30, 2026, with another sign of market acceleration. Gross wagers reached $1.8977 billion between January and July, up 16.7% year on year, while online gambling jumped 59.5% to $463.7 million. The figures come from the National Institute of Statistics and Census (INEC) under the Office of the Comptroller General, using data supplied by the Gaming Control Board (JCJ) of the Ministry of Economy and Finance.
In July alone, gambling operators recorded $289.8 million in wagers, up 17.5% from the same month in 2025. Online gambling generated $84 million, up 57.9%, consolidating its position as the fastest-growing segment. Type A slot machines continued to dominate by volume, with $1.3013 billion wagered between January and July, up 6.9%.
Gaming tables reached $100.9 million, up 18.3%; sports betting shops posted $10.9 million, up 5.5%; and bingo halls generated $3.9 million, up 6.3%. By contrast, racetrack wagering fell 8.7% to $15.4 million, while instant games dropped 30.4% to $1.3 million.
Felipe Chapman
The National Charity Lottery, headed by Isidro Sigfrido Carbonell Olmos, also showed pressure; gross sales and revenue from lottery tickets and “chances” totaled $475.1 million, down 1.6% from $482.7 million in 2025. July, however, rebounded 14.5% to $74.4 million.
Panama officially has 22 full casinos, 31 slot-machine halls, 45 sports betting shops, three bingo halls and one racetrack. Oversight falls to the JCJ, which is part of the Ministry of Economy and Finance, headed in September by Felipe Chapman, whose continued tenure was confirmed in official communications dated September 28. One distinction is essential; the $1.8977 billion represents gross wagers, or handle, not GGR or operator revenue. The same applies to the $463.7 million recorded by the online channel.
