How to Report an Online Gambling Platform for Non-Payment of Winnings in the Philippines

This guide is Philippine-specific and written for players who were denied or delayed payouts by an online gambling site. It’s general information, not legal advice.

Quick roadmap

Identify the operator: Is it PAGCOR-licensed for local players, an offshore licensee (IGL/“POGO”), or unlicensed?
Assemble proof: bets, game logs, KYC approvals, chat/email, screenshots, wallet/bank records, and the site’s Terms & Conditions (T&Cs) in effect when you won.
File an internal complaint with the site and demand a written decision.
Escalate to the right forum:
- PAGCOR for licensed local/IGL operators and blocking of illegal sites.
- NBI Cybercrime Division / PNP Anti-Cybercrime Group / Prosecutor’s Office if fraud/illegal gambling is involved.
- Bank/e-money issuer (BSP-regulated) if the payment channel caused the problem.
- Arbitration/foreign regulator if the T&Cs require it or the license is foreign.
Pursue civil or criminal remedies if needed (breach of contract, estafa), or Small Claims if within the Supreme Court’s current monetary cap.

1) Who regulates what?

PAGCOR (charter: PD 1869, as amended by RA 9487) licenses and regulates legal gambling for the domestic market and also issues offshore internet gaming licenses (rebranded in recent years; commonly known as POGOs/IGLs).
- Domestic/“inland” online play: Allowed only through PAGCOR-authorized sites and products (with KYC, geo-restrictions, and responsible-gaming controls).
- Offshore internet gaming licensees (IGLs/POGOs): May not take bets from persons in the Philippines.
- e-Sabong: online cockfighting was halted nationwide in 2022; any site still offering it to persons in the Philippines is unlawful.
Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP): regulates banks, e-money issuers, payment system operators, and VASPs (crypto exchanges). Use this path if the bank/e-wallet side is the problem.
AMLC (Anti-Money Laundering Council): casinos are covered persons under the AMLA (RA 9160, as amended incl. RA 10927). Payout holds sometimes cite AML reviews; operators must document and act promptly.
Law enforcement:
- NBI Cybercrime Division / PNP Anti-Cybercrime Group: illegal gambling, online fraud, identity theft, computer-related offenses (RA 10175).
- Department of Justice (Office of Cybercrime) / City Prosecutor: filing criminal complaints.
National Privacy Commission (NPC): misuse of your personal/KYC data (RA 10173).
DTI generally does not handle gambling disputes; gambling is a regulated sector.

2) First questions to answer

Were you allowed to play?
- You must be 21+ (or higher if an operator requires it), not self-excluded, and located in a permitted geography.
- If you used a VPN, multiple accounts, or third-party payment identities, the operator may cite a T&C breach.
Is the operator licensed for your play?
- If you are in the Philippines and the site is domestic-licensed: you have a regulator-backed process.
- If the site is offshore-licensed (Malta, Isle of Man, Gibraltar, Curaçao, etc.), check the T&Cs for arbitration and the foreign regulator’s complaints channel.
- If unlicensed/illegal, focus on law enforcement + PAGCOR for site blocking; civil recovery is challenging.
Why did they withhold? Common reasons and what to do:
- KYC/Source-of-Funds review (AMLA): provide requested documents; ask for a written, dated status and timeline.
- Bonus abuse/multi-account/syndicate allegation: demand specific clause citations and evidence relied upon.
- “Technical error/voided market”: insist on game logs and the operator’s voiding policy.
- “Tax/clearance fee” demand: scam red flag—legitimate operators don’t ask winners to pay extra fees to release winnings.

3) Evidence package (build this now)

Identity & access: KYC approval email, date/time of account creation, IP/location notices, self-exclusion status (if any).
Transaction trail: deposits, bets, game rounds, settlement results, and the winning ticket/round IDs; screenshots + raw logs if available.
Communications: in-app chat, emails, and call recordings (time-stamped).
Payment records: bank/e-wallet statements; crypto tx hashes; payout request IDs; any “on hold” notices.
Contract snapshot: the site’s T&Cs and game rules as of the win date (save a PDF copy).
Timeline: one-page chronology of events.
Demand letter: see template below.

Keep originals; make read-only copies. Do not alter metadata.

4) Internal complaint (always do this)

Send a formal written complaint to the operator’s support/compliance address:

Cite account ID, dates, bet/round IDs, amounts, and specific T&C clauses supporting payment.
Give a firm deadline (e.g., 7–10 days) and request a written final position.
Ask for all logs relied upon if they allege a breach.

If they don’t reply or issue a vague denial, proceed to external escalation.

5) Escalation by operator type

A) PAGCOR-licensed (domestic) sites/products

File a player dispute with PAGCOR. Provide your evidence pack and the operator’s final response (or prove non-response).
Ask for: (1) payout release with interest if applicable, (2) penalties for violations, and (3) copy of findings.
PAGCOR can also order corrective action and recommend sanctions; it can coordinate with NTC to block illegal sites.

B) Offshore licensees (IGL/“POGO”) taking bets from PH

If they accepted your bet from the Philippines, report to PAGCOR as a probable license breach (offshore licensees must block PH).
Parallel routes: NBI/PNP cybercrime for illegal gambling and fraud; request site blocking assistance.

C) Foreign-licensed, non-PAGCOR sites

Use the complaints procedure of the foreign regulator named in the T&Cs.
If T&Cs require arbitration, the ADR Act (RA 9285) and the New York Convention allow Philippine courts to recognize and enforce foreign arbitral awards. You’ll still need an enforceable asset or a Philippine intermediary to collect against.

D) Clearly unlicensed/rogue sites

Prioritize criminal complaint & site blocking (NBI/PNP + PAGCOR).
Recovery odds are low; do not pay “release fees” or share more KYC data.

6) Civil, criminal, and ADR options in the Philippines

Civil (breach of contract / damages)

Your claim is usually contractual (the T&Cs are a written contract).
Venue: generally where you or the defendant resides or does business, consent/venue clauses permitting.
Small Claims: If within the current small-claims monetary threshold set by the Supreme Court, you can file in the MTC with simplified, lawyer-optional procedure. (Check the latest cap before filing.)
Prescriptive period: Actions on written contracts generally prescribe in 10 years under the Civil Code.

Criminal (estafa/fraud; illegal gambling)

Estafa (swindling) under the Revised Penal Code may apply if there were false pretenses, misappropriation, or fraudulent schemes.
For illegal online gambling, PD 1602 (and related laws) increases penalties; players, operators, and facilitators can be liable.
File a sworn complaint with the City Prosecutor/NBI/PNP, attach your evidence, and be prepared to execute affidavits and attend hearings.
Cybercrime overlays (RA 10175) may attach if computer-related fraud was used.

ADR (mediation / arbitration)

If the T&Cs include arbitration, Philippine courts generally uphold it (RA 9285).
Foreign arbitral awards can be recognized and enforced in the Philippines, subject to the Special ADR Rules.

7) When the bottleneck is the payment channel

Credit/debit card: Dispute through your issuing bank. Card schemes often code gambling as MCC 7995; chargebacks may be limited, but still dispute unauthorized/incorrect transactions.
Banks/e-wallets (BSP-regulated): File with the provider’s Consumer Assistance unit first. If unresolved, escalate to the BSP Consumer Protection channel.
Crypto: If you used a local VASP/exchange, immediately lodge a complaint/ticket with the VASP; request account freeze/flag on the recipient if funds are traceable, and include tx hashes. AMLC referrals may follow if there are red flags.

8) Common defenses—and how to answer them

Multiple accounts / bonus abuse: Ask the operator to identify specific accounts allegedly linked to you, how they linked them (device/IP/KYC), and the exact rule breached.
Geolocation/VPN: If you didn’t use a VPN, demand the geolocation evidence (timestamps, IPs). If you did, recovery is unlikely.
Technical error: Request RNG/game round logs, risk team notes, and the voiding rule.
AMLA hold: Cooperate, but ask for a dated written notice citing the specific AML rule and expected resolution steps.

9) Practical tips for success

Be surgical: Tie each fact to a T&C clause or regulation.
Insist on writing: Phone calls don’t count—get emails/letters.
Don’t bluff: Unsupported accusations hurt credibility.
Protect yourself: If you suspect a scam, freeze further deposits, change passwords, enable 2FA, and monitor your ID for misuse.
Taxes: Legitimate operators handle their gaming taxes. You should not be asked to pay a special “release tax” to get your winnings.

10) Templates you can adapt

A) Short demand letter (to the operator)

Subject: Formal Demand for Payment of Winnings – [Your Name], Account [ID]

Dear [Operator/Compliance Team],

I write to demand payment of my verified winnings of [amount + currency] from [game/round/ticket ID] dated [date/time]. 
I satisfied all KYC requirements on [date]. The applicable Terms & Conditions (version/date attached) contain no valid basis 
to void or withhold my winnings under Sections [x, y]. Your [denial/no response] dated [date] is unsupported.

Kindly remit the full amount to my verified payout method within [7/10] days of receipt of this letter and provide 
a written final position. If you maintain your refusal, please furnish: (1) the specific T&C clause(s) relied upon,
(2) the complete game/transaction logs, and (3) any AML review memo or regulator directive.

Absent resolution, I will escalate to the regulator and pursue legal remedies without further notice.

Sincerely,
[Name]
[Address/Email/Mobile]

B) Evidence index (attach to complaints)

Tab A – Account & KYC (ID, approval email)
Tab B – Bets & Game Logs (tickets/round IDs; screenshots; CSV if available)
Tab C – Communications (support chat, emails)
Tab D – Payments (deposit/payout records; bank/e-wallet statements; crypto tx hashes)
Tab E – T&Cs and Game Rules (PDF copies as of [date])
Tab F – Timeline (1 page)

C) Sworn statement (criminal complaint skeleton)

I, [Name], Filipino, of legal age, state under oath:
1. On [date/time], through [website/app], I placed wagers as shown in Annex B and won [amount].
2. Despite my compliance with KYC and requests for payout on [dates], Respondent refused payment, citing [reason].
3. I believe Respondent committed [estafa/illegal gambling/other], as described in Annex C with supporting logs.
4. I am executing this statement to support the filing of charges and further investigation.

[Signature above printed name]
[ID details]

11) FAQs

Can I sue to enforce winnings from an illegal site? Courts generally will not aid claims arising from illegal gambling. Focus on law enforcement and blocking. If the site was licensed for local play, you have stronger contractual and regulatory remedies.

How long do I have to sue? Contract claims on written T&Cs generally prescribe in 10 years. Criminal complaints have different prescriptive periods depending on the offense and penalty—get counsel to compute precisely.

Do I need a lawyer? You can file regulatory complaints and Small Claims yourself. For criminal complaints, arbitration, or cross-border recovery, a lawyer is highly recommended.

Will PAGCOR force a payout? PAGCOR can investigate and require compliance/sanctions. It’s a strong pressure lever, but you may still need a civil action or arbitration to compel payment if the operator resists.

12) One-page checklist

Confirm operator type (PAGCOR domestic / IGL / foreign / unlicensed).
Save T&Cs/game rules as of win date.
Export game logs & payment records; take timestamped screenshots.
Send formal demand; set a deadline; keep proof of receipt.
Prepare evidence index and timeline.
File with PAGCOR (if applicable) or foreign regulator/arbitrator.
If fraud/illegal: NBI/PNP complaint; consider Prosecutor filing.
If payment channel at fault: bank/e-wallet dispute → BSP escalation.
Consider Small Claims/civil suit within prescriptive periods.
Protect accounts, enable 2FA, and monitor for ID misuse; never pay “release fees.”

If you want, tell me the operator name, where you were physically located when you played, and what reason they gave for withholding. I’ll map the exact escalation route and tailor a demand letter to your case.