Panama's regulated gambling operators handled $1.3bn in gross bets between January and May 2026, an increase of 16.2% compared with the $1.1bn recorded in the same period of 2025, according to figures from the Comptroller General of the Republic based on data from the Junta de Control de Juegos.
Type A slot machines remained the largest segment, accounting for $943.9m in bets, more than 70% of the total reported by regulated operators, and up 7.3% year on year. These machines can operate in full casinos or in dedicated slot halls authorized under the country's gaming regulator.
Online gambling platforms posted the fastest growth of any segment, with bets reaching $299.6m between January and May, up 57% from the same period last year. Table games, including blackjack, roulette, baccarat and poker, generated $74.3m, an increase of 23%, and are limited to full casinos linked to hotels with more than 300 rooms.
Other segments showed mixed results. Betting at the Hipódromo Presidente Remón racetrack totaled $11.4m, down 6.1%, while dedicated sports betting halls brought in $7.2m, a decline of 7.5%. Bingo halls generated $2.8m, up 6.4%, and instant games totaled $1.1m, down 18.8%.
The official figures do not include Type C slot machines, which operate under separate rules and are typically located in bars and other commercial premises outside city centers. Because they are excluded from the Comptroller's monthly economic report, the real volume of betting in Panama could exceed the reported total.
The state-run Lotería Nacional de Beneficencia is tracked separately from the regulated betting operators. Its gross sales reached $344.2m between January and May, a decline of 0.6% from $346.2m in the same period of 2025. Sales rose 8% in May alone to $75.3m, the first significant monthly increase of the year, following declines in January, February and April. The lottery ended its electronic Lotto and Pega 3 products in April after a judicial decision invalidated the addendum that had permitted their operation.
Panama's National Lottery launched an in-house platform for its Lotto and Pega 3 products after a disruption to its third-party technology provider affected prize processing
