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PAGCOR to Launch App for Licensed Online Gaming Platforms

Regulation Source: Marketing Interactive Published:

The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) is developing a new mobile application to guide players toward licensed online gaming platforms. This initiative aims to reduce illegal online gambling activities within the Philippines.

What Happened

The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) is preparing to introduce an application designed to assist online gaming participants in identifying and utilizing licensed platforms. This development is part of PAGCOR’s expanded efforts to combat illegal gambling, according to Marketing Interactive. The app is projected to launch before the end of 2026.

PAGCOR Chairman and CEO Alejandro H. Tengco stated at a House Committee on Appropriations budget hearing on August 24 that the application’s primary objectives are to decrease illegal online gambling and direct players to platforms that comply with PAGCOR’s regulatory standards and safeguards. Tengco indicated that approximately 50% of online gaming sites accessed in the Philippines operate illegally, presenting an ongoing challenge for PAGCOR and its law enforcement collaborators.

Key Details

  • The app is expected to launch prior to the conclusion of 2026, according to Marketing Interactive.
  • PAGCOR aims for the app to help players differentiate legitimate operators from illegal ones, as stated by Chairman and CEO Alejandro H. Tengco.
  • The regulator estimates that around 50% of online gaming sites accessed in the Philippines are illegal, according to Tengco.
  • PAGCOR launched ‘PAGCOR Guarantee’, an online verification facility, in 2025 to allow the public to confirm operator licenses.
  • PAGCOR reported fining an online gaming company 1 million pesos (US$16,000) for a promotional giveaway featuring influencer Ivana Alawi.

Why It Matters

This initiative represents a strategic move by PAGCOR to centralize online gaming activity within its regulated framework. By providing a clear channel to licensed operators, the regulator seeks to enhance player protection by offering recourse in disputes, a benefit not available with unregulated platforms. The sustained moratorium on new online gaming licenses, introduced in March 2024, alongside efforts to pursue illegal operators in conjunction with other government agencies like the Department of Information and Communications Technology, the National Telecommunications Commission, and the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordination Centre, underscores PAGCOR’s commitment to consolidating and controlling the online gaming sector. The reported reduction in active online gaming licensees from 74 to 48 further illustrates this consolidation effort, according to Tengco.

What’s Next

PAGCOR has no immediate plans to lift the moratorium on new online gaming licenses, which remains in effect. The regulator will also maintain current fee rates for e-game operators at 30% and integrated resorts at 25%, based on gross gaming revenue, effective from January 1. Furthermore, PAGCOR continues to coordinate with government agencies to address the promotion of illegal online gaming sites, with the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordination Centre having filed between 12 and 15 cases against endorsers or influencers, as reported by Marketing Interactive.

Originally reported by Marketing InteractivePublished

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