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Licence guide · Philippines
PAGCOR licensing after the POGO era: a domestic-only market in 2026
The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation used to be two regulators in one: the licensing body for domestic casinos and an offshore hub for Asia-facing operators. That second role is gone. Since the offshore ban, a PAGCOR online licence means one thing: serving players physically in the Philippines, under a revenue-share model, with every supplier in the chain accredited. Here is how the regime is built in September 2026, what it costs on published numbers, and what it asks of your game content.
Who PAGCOR licenses online today
PAGCOR licenses operators that offer electronic casino games, electronic bingo and remote sports betting to players located in the Philippines. These operators are usually called PIGOs, short for Philippine Inland Gaming Operators. Offshore-facing licences no longer exist.
PAGCOR is both a government-owned corporation that runs its own casinos and the regulator of private licensees, a dual role set by Presidential Decree 1869 as amended by Republic Act 9487 (2007). Online permissions are issued under PAGCOR regulatory frameworks rather than a standalone online gambling statute, which is why the rules move by board resolution and memorandum.
How the offshore model ended
The offshore side was closed in two steps: an executive order in late 2024, then a statute in 2025. Operators that held offshore or internet gaming licences had to stop by the end of 2024.
The offshore exit, as published by Malacañang and the PCO
| Date | Measure | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| 5 November 2024 | Executive Order No. 74 | Banned POGOs and Internet Gaming Licensees (IGLs); no new applications or renewals |
| 31 December 2024 | EO 74 wind-down deadline | All offshore gaming operations to cease nationwide |
| 23 October 2025 | Republic Act No. 12312, the Anti-POGO Act of 2025 | Made the ban permanent; offshore licences from PAGCOR and economic-zone authorities revoked; prison terms up to 12 years and fines up to PHP 50 million, as reported by the Presidential Communications Office |
The practical consequence for a new entrant: the Philippines is now a local-market licence. If your players are in Manila, Cebu or Davao, PAGCOR is the route. If they are elsewhere in Asia, the Philippines no longer offers a licence for that.
Product categories a PIGO can run
Each online product line is authorised separately, and the fee rate depends on the category and on whether the licensee also runs a land-based integrated resort.
Online product lines under PAGCOR
| Category | What it covers | Notes (checked September 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| eGames | Electronic casino games: slots, RNG tables, live dealer tables streamed to players | The largest online category; passed PHP 100 billion GGR by September 2024 per PAGCOR |
| eBingo | Electronic bingo and bingo-style games | Historically licensed alongside retail bingo halls |
| Sports betting | Remote fixed-odds betting on sport and esports | Operated through accredited gaming system administrators |
| e-Sabong (online cockfighting) | Remote betting on cockfights | Suspended by presidential order since 2022 and not reinstated |
Operators typically run their platform through a PAGCOR-accredited Gaming System Administrator (GSA), and retail-connected models use Gaming Venue Operators (GVOs). PAGCOR publishes a list of accredited GSAs with the brands and sub-brands registered to each, and brand names have to be approved before launch.
What PAGCOR charges: revenue share and the minimum guaranteed fee
PAGCOR does not tax you in the classic sense; it takes a fixed percentage of gross gaming revenue as a licence fee. Since 1 January 2025 that share is 30% for eGames, or 25% where the licensee operates an integrated resort, per the PAGCOR press release of January 2025.
The rate has been cut repeatedly: PAGCOR says it collected more than 50% of GGR before the 2023 reductions and 35% from April 2024. The trade-off came in 2026 with a floor on what each GSA pays per month.
Published PAGCOR fees, checked September 2026
| Item | Amount | Source and date |
|---|---|---|
| eGames fee rate | 30% of GGR (25% for integrated resorts) | PAGCOR press release, January 2025 |
| Minimum guaranteed fee, GSA with eGames (1 Jul to 31 Dec 2026) | PHP 9 million per month, applied at a GGR floor of PHP 30 million | PAGCOR board decision, reported by GGRAsia, mid-2026 |
| Minimum guaranteed fee, GSA without eGames (same period) | PHP 3 million per month at a GGR floor of PHP 15 million | Same |
| Second tranche (from 1 January 2027) | PHP 10.5 million / PHP 4 million per month | Same; originally planned for October 2026 |
| Supplier performance cash deposit | PHP 1 million per game offering or service category | PAGCOR B2B accreditation framework, 2024 |
| Operator application fee | No flat schedule published; consultants quote roughly USD 40,000 to 50,000 | Consultant guides, 2026 (unverified) |
The minimum guaranteed fee was first announced for April 2026, deferred to June and finally applied from 1 July 2026. PAGCOR framed it as a fix for under-declared revenue; industry press expects it to consolidate the market around larger GSAs. Paid-up capital of PHP 25 million is the figure most often cited for gaming companies, again from consultant sources.
Accreditation of suppliers: the B2B framework
Since 2 October 2024, PAGCOR requires every third party that touches a licensed operation to be accredited. That includes game content providers, payment channels, KYC and membership systems, marketing and affiliates, customer service, and independent gaming testing laboratories.
Game content providers are accredited per game category, accreditation lasts two years from board approval, and applicants go through probity checks on the company, its officers and beneficial owners. Unaccredited foreign suppliers had to be removed from licensed platforms after the 2026 compliance deadline. By PAGCOR count, accredited gaming service providers rose from 49 in 2023 to 174 in 2024.
Player-facing rules that shape the product
The 2025-2026 tightening is aimed at the player journey rather than at licence paperwork, and it changes conversion maths. Plan the funnel around these rules from day one.
- KYC before the first deposit: name, contact details, a valid government ID and a real-time selfie holding it, as PAGCOR told the Senate in February 2026.
- Minimum age 21, consistent with PAGCOR land-based rules.
- Payments: in August 2025 the central bank (BSP) ordered e-wallets to remove direct links to gambling sites; PAGCOR reported a 40-50% income drop afterwards and has lobbied for a reversal.
- Advertising: no gambling ads in prime-time TV and radio, billboards being removed, and digital rules drafted with the Ad Standards Council.
- Self-exclusion tools on every platform, plus a national helpline in development.
What this means for your game content
Under PAGCOR, the question is not only "is this game certified?" but "is this studio accredited in the Philippines for this game category?". Ask every supplier for its PAGCOR accreditation status and its lab certificates, and keep both on file.
Content usually arrives through a casino game aggregator API, so the integration has to let you switch studios and categories off per market. SoftAggregator exposes per-game metadata (category, studio, currencies, market) for lobby filtering, a country parameter that enforces studio restrictions, and a separate getGameDemo launch for free play, all behind one API and a seamless wallet. Live tables from studios such as Evolution or Ezugi sit in the same catalogue as a live casino API, and PHP can run as the player currency or as a site locked to one currency.
For the sports vertical, the same integration carries our sportsbook API, which keeps eGames and betting on a single wallet balance. The catalogue (40,000+ games from 200+ providers) and currencies change continuously; the live list is in the API and the public docs.
The political risk to price in
Domestic online gambling itself is under debate. Senate Bill No. 47, filed in July 2025 and listed among Senate priorities, would ban it outright, and several senators have filed similar bills.
The executive branch and PAGCOR are drafting a rival regulatory framework instead. As of September 2026 no ban has passed. An operator entering now should model both outcomes and keep its technology portable, which is one reason to prefer an API that serves other markets too. This guide is general information, not legal advice; use Philippine counsel for your filing.
PAGCOR questions operators ask
Can I still get a PAGCOR licence to serve players outside the Philippines?
No. Executive Order 74 (November 2024) and Republic Act 12312 (October 2025) ended offshore gaming licences. PAGCOR online licences now cover players located in the Philippines only.
How much does a PAGCOR eGames licence cost in 2026?
The main cost is the revenue share: 30% of GGR for eGames (25% for integrated resorts) since January 2025, plus a monthly minimum guaranteed fee for GSAs of PHP 9 million from July 2026. PAGCOR does not publish a flat application fee; consultants quote roughly USD 40,000 to 50,000.
What is a PIGO?
A Philippine Inland Gaming Operator: a PAGCOR licensee offering online games of chance or betting to players inside the Philippines, as opposed to the banned POGOs that targeted foreign players.
Do game studios need to be accredited by PAGCOR?
Yes. Under the B2B accreditation framework in force since October 2024, game content providers are accredited per game category, with a PHP 1 million performance cash deposit and a two-year validity.
What is the minimum age for online gambling in the Philippines?
Twenty-one, and players must complete KYC with a government ID and a live selfie before depositing.
Is online gambling going to be banned in the Philippines?
Several Senate bills, including Senate Bill 47 (July 2025), propose a ban, while the executive is preparing a tighter regulatory framework. Nothing had passed as of September 2026.
Sources and last update
Every figure on this page comes from a public statement or a dated trade report. We re-check the fee tables whenever PAGCOR issues a new board resolution.
- PAGCOR press release "PAGCOR again slashes e-games fees, now at 30%", January 2025
- Executive Order No. 74, Office of the President, 5 November 2024
- Presidential Communications Office, signing of Republic Act 12312 (Anti-POGO Act of 2025), 23 October 2025
- GGRAsia and Asia Gaming Brief, minimum guaranteed fee announcements and deferrals, December 2025 to mid-2026
- PAGCOR B2B accreditation framework, effective 2 October 2024, as summarised by Yogonet, October 2025
- Philippine News Agency, PAGCOR briefing to the Senate on KYC and advertising, 11 February 2026
- BSP order on e-wallet delinking, August 2025, as reported by the Philippine Daily Inquirer
- Consultant guides on PIGO application costs, 2026 (figures not published by PAGCOR)
Last reviewed: 24 September 2026.
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