Philippines could cap offshore online gaming licences at 50

The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) has said that it could limit the number of offshore online gaming licences it awards to 50.

According to Business World Online, Jose S. Tria Jr., vice-president of PAGCOR’s Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO) division, said that a total of 42 operators have already been awarded a licence, with 12 still awaiting approval.

Last month, PAGCOR said the licences will cover wagering across horse and dog racing, but will not be limited to these types of events, with operators also being able to provide visual and live feeds of regulated sports events.

Speaking to the Philippine media yesterday (Monday), Tria said: “It depends on the evaluation; our audit system is delayed at the procurement [process].

“Our latest estimate on its installation is September.”

Tria added that once the audit system is up and running, POGO and PAGCOR will be able to monitor market saturation.

“When their income declines from the previous reported income, it means that there are too many operators,” Tria said.

Operators that obtain a licence will be subject to a 1.5% tax rate on gross gaming revenue, with funds to be paid to PAGCOR on a monthly basis.

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