Panama is experiencing a silent but powerful boom in the gaming industry. In 2025, this sector moved $2,938 million, 15% more than in 2024, when the figure stood at $2,555 million. The most striking fact is not just the growth, but the scale it has reached: gaming revenues are already close to those generated by the Panama Canal, historically the country’s most important source of foreign exchange, which contributed $2,965 million in the same period. The difference between the two is barely $27 million.
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This growth consolidates gaming as one of the economic pillars of the Central American country, with a weight that is no longer marginal or secondary.
Slot machines, the engine of the business in Panama
Within the sector, slot machines —known as slots— are the dominant component and represent the true engine of the business. In 2025 they generated $2,147 million, which is equivalent to seven out of every ten dollars wagered across the country.
These machines allow multiple plays with a single bet and only operate in authorized casinos and halls. Their weight in the total market reflects both their popularity among players and their ability to generate steady income for operators.
Online gaming, the fastest-growing segment
If slots are the volume, online gaming is the speed. In 2025 this segment reached $587 million, with a growth of 82% compared to the previous year, the largest jump recorded in any category of the sector.
This category includes online lottery and other digital platforms. Its expansion confirms a change in habits among Panamanians: betting via mobile and digital platforms already represents 20% of the total market. Digitalization and the massive use of the phone as a leisure tool largely explain this takeoff.
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Casinos, sports betting and other segments
Beyond slots and online gaming, the rest of the market in Panama is distributed among several segments of lesser weight but stable presence.
Casino gaming tables rank third, with $146 million in revenue. This subsector is concentrated in large establishments and hotels, and maintains a profile more oriented towards tourism and a public with higher purchasing power.
Sports betting totaled $17.9 million, while bingo halls generated $6.3 million. For their part, so-called instant-games —immediate result games in digital format— recorded $3.4 million, a figure that is still modest but rising, pointing to a niche with potential.
An industry that redefines Panama’s economy
Taken together, these data paint a clear picture: gaming in Panama is not a peripheral industry. With nearly $3,000 million in annual revenue and sustained growth, the sector already occupies a central place in the country’s economy. The proximity of its figures to those of the Panama Canal —a historical symbol of national wealth— gives the exact measure of its current dimension and its potential for the coming years.
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