🇵🇭 Philippines · Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR)
Philippines Online Gambling Licence — 2026
The Philippines is now a domestic-only market. Offshore gaming was banned by executive order in 2024 and criminalised by statute in October 2025; PAGCOR still licenses PIGO operations serving Philippine customers.
Tier 3 — Emerging / recently liberalisedThe Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) regulated Asian iGaming through two principal frameworks: PIGO (Philippines Inland Gaming Operators) for domestic Philippine customers, and POGO (Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators) for international markets. The POGO framework attracted hundreds of operators serving primarily Chinese, Asian, and global markets from Philippine offices.
In July 2024 President Marcos ordered the phase-out of POGO licences by 31 December 2024, and Executive Order 74 followed in November 2024. The ban then moved from executive act to statute: Republic Act 12312, approved on 23 October 2025, declares offshore gaming unlawful and makes it a crime. That distinction matters for anyone weighing the risk, because a statute is not reversed by the next administration the way an executive order can be. The PIGO framework for Philippine domestic customers continues.
Quick facts
| Regulator | Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation ↗ |
|---|---|
| Tier | Tier 3 — Emerging / recently liberalised |
| Licence types | PAGCOR domestic licence (PIGOs — Philippines Inland Gaming Operators), POGO (Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators) — abolished and criminalised by Republic Act 12312 of 23 October 2025 |
| Application cost | USD 200,000+ application |
| Annual cost | USD 250,000+ annual + 5% of GGR |
| Gaming tax | 5% of GGR + corporate tax |
| Corporate tax | 25% standard |
| Substance | Substantial Philippine operating presence; PAGCOR substance review |
| Timeline | 6-12 months |
Pros
- Established Asian iGaming jurisdiction
- PAGCOR has institutional supervisory experience
Cons
- No offshore route at all: conducting, supplying, hosting or leasing to offshore gaming is a criminal offence carrying six to twelve years
- High cost versus offshore alternatives
- Reputational concerns from the POGO era
Best for
- Asia-focused operators with Philippine presence
- Domestic Philippine iGaming
Offshore gaming is now a criminal offence, not a lapsed licence
POGOs were established in 2016 to bring offshore gambling operations conducted from Philippine territory inside a framework. At their peak roughly 60 licensees employed more than 30,000 workers, serving mainly Chinese and other Asian customers, and the framework drew criticism over alleged links to trafficking, money laundering and diplomatic friction with China. The phase-out ordered in July 2024 revoked the licences. Republic Act 12312 of 23 October 2025 went further and banned the activity itself. Section 4 prohibits conducting or offering offshore gaming, acting as a gaming content or services provider, creating hubs or sites, using gaming equipment, and leasing property or digital platforms for any of it. Section 13 sets six to eight years and a fine for a first offence, rising to twelve years and PHP 50 million, with deportation and a permanent re-entry ban for foreign nationals. Section 18 repeals Republic Act 11590, the offshore gaming tax law, so the tax regime that used to make the route viable no longer exists either. Read the practical effect plainly: there is no Philippine offshore licence to buy, and the supply chain around one is itself criminalised.
PIGO domestic framework
PIGO authorises gambling operations serving Philippine domestic customers — online casino, sports betting, e-bingo. Substantive PAGCOR supervision, real Philippine operational presence required, 5% GGR contribution to PAGCOR. The domestic market is comparatively small but stable; PIGO licensees serve approximately 5 million Philippine online gambling customers.
Application process
- PAGCOR pre-engagement and PIGO category selection
- Philippine operating company formation
- Substantial substance investment (local management, AML team, technical infrastructure)
- Application file with business plan and technical specifications
- PAGCOR review — 6-12 months
- Licence grant for PIGO domestic operations
Operational realities
Capital requirements
PHP 100M+ minimum capital for PIGO licensees. Audited Philippine financial statements.
Player protection
PAGCOR responsible-gambling framework, self-exclusion mechanisms, deposit limits, age-verification.
Banking & payment processing
Major Philippine banks (BDO, BPI, Metrobank) bank PAGCOR-licensed operators. International payment processing more complex.
B2B vs B2C licensing
PIGO framework focused on B2C. B2B platform providers serve PIGO licensees under separate commercial arrangements.
Recent developments (2025-2026)
Republic Act 12312, the Anti-POGO Act of 2025, was approved on 23 October 2025. It bans offshore gaming outright (s.4), criminalises acting as a content or service provider, running a hub, holding gaming equipment or leasing property or digital platforms for the activity, sets penalties of six to twelve years with fines to PHP 50 million and deportation for foreign nationals (s.13), and repeals Republic Act 11590, the law that used to tax offshore licensees (s.18). Domestic PIGO licensing is untouched.
How it compares
Versus other Asian: PAGCOR-domestic is one of the few regulated Asian iGaming frameworks. Most Asian markets remain unregulated or grey-market.
Frequently asked questions
What happened to Philippine POGO licences?
They were revoked in the phase-out that ended on 31 December 2024, and the activity was then banned by statute. Republic Act 12312 of 23 October 2025 makes offshore gaming unlawful and criminal, and repeals the offshore gaming tax law.
Can I still get a Philippine gambling licence?
Only for the domestic market. PAGCOR continues to license PIGO operations serving Philippine customers. There is no offshore route, and supplying or hosting one is an offence under Republic Act 12312.
Compare and define
- Licence cost benchmarks to compare Philippines against — application fee, annual renewal, gaming tax and the all-in first-year figure.
- How Philippines compares with 34 other jurisdictions — cost, tax, timeline and reputational tier, grouped by tier.
- Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation — Philippines gambling regulator; POGO offshore-operator framework phased out end-2024.