Laws and regulation

The Philippines is one of the few Asian jurisdictions with a legal gambling system in place.

The central regulator is PAGCOR: it issues licenses, controls compliance and (to a limited extent) manages the sites itself.

Land casinos have strict capital, audit, security, RG procedures and 21 + age tolerance requirements.

The online segment is regulated by separate regimes (including offshore operators), with mandatory KYC/AML, technical certification and tax reporting; activities outside of permits are prosecuted.

Local governments supplement national licenses with location and security permits, and economic zones work in coordination with federal oversight.

Government policy combines the development of integrated resorts and tighter controls on the online marketplace, advertising and payments, with a focus on responsible play and harm prevention.