Pagcor launching app to help identify licensed online casinos from unlicensed

The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (Pagcor) has announced plans to develop a mobile application intended to help players distinguish between licensed online casinos and unregulated gambling platforms. 

Monday’s announcement was made by Pagcor chairman and chief executive Alejandro H Tengco during a House budget hearing.

Reduce illegal online gambling activities

The forthcoming application, expected to be launched before the end of 2026, will expand on Pagcor’s existing verification system – known as Pagcor Guarantee. 

According to Tengco, the app will serve two main purposes: to reduce illegal online gambling activities and to protect players by directing them to platforms officially regulated and licensed by Pagcor.

Tengco highlighted the scale of the challenge, revealing that around 50% of online gaming sites accessed in the Philippines currently operate without proper licensing.

“Keeping players within the regulated sector has been an ongoing challenge for Pagcor and our law enforcement partners,” he said.

“For those who patronise online gaming, we encourage them to use the Pagcor app. The easier it is for them to identify where they can legally play, the better we can protect them from illegal operators and the risks that come with unregulated gaming.” 

Multi-agency collaboration

Pagcor is collaborating with several government agencies, including the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) and the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordination Center (CICC). 

The joint action not only focuses on identifying unlicensed operators but also seeks to disrupt the financial mechanisms supporting illegal gaming, particularly payment channels utilised by unauthorised platforms.

Formal dispute resolution for players

Beyond licence verification, the mobile app will also offer players a formal dispute resolution mechanism for any issues encountered with licensed operators. 

Reflecting on the benefits of prior initiatives, Tengco referred to the June 2025 launch of Pagcor Guarantee, stating that it enabled players to easily identify and verify whether the online gaming sites are duly licensed before playing or making any payments.

Other measures brought forward

The push towards further regulatory frameworks has long been a focus for Tengco. Speaking to iGB earlier this year, the chairman laid out his three objectives for the next 25 months including further legislative approval for a comprehensive online gambling law. 

This included an operator fee that came into practice in June of this year. Pagcor now requires a minimum guaranteed fee of PHP9 million monthly, based on revenue of PHP30 million at the 30% tax rate, for operators with online casino games and a PHP3 million MGF based on revenue of PHP15 million for operators without online casino games, such as sports betting sites. 

During the second quarter of this year, Pagcor generated PHP88.13 billion in gross gaming revenue, down 20.33% from the same period last year.