ONLINE CASINO PAGCOR LICENSE VERIFICATION IN THE PHILIPPINES A comprehensive legal explainer (updated to 9 June 2025)
1. Executive Summary
The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) is the sole government-owned and controlled corporation empowered to license and regulate games of chance, including internet-based (“online”) casino gaming. Any operator that offers casino-style games to players located in, or placing wagers from, the Philippines must hold a valid PAGCOR licence. Verifying that licence is critical not only for consumer protection, but also for anti-money-laundering (AML) compliance, tax administration and enforcement of criminal laws against illegal gambling. This article surveys the complete legal framework, explains how licences are granted, renewed, suspended or revoked, and provides a practical step-by-step guide to confirming a licence’s authenticity as of mid-2025.
2. Statutory and Regulatory Foundations
| Instrument | Key Provisions Relevant to Online Casino Licensing |
|---|---|
| Presidential Decree 1869 (PAGCOR Charter, 1983) as amended by Republic Act 9487 (2007) | Grants PAGCOR the “centralized and integrated authority” to operate and/or license “games of chance, games of cards and games of numbers” via any technology; empowers PAGCOR to impose fees, issue regulations and police illegal gaming. |
| Anti-Money Laundering Act of 2001 (RA 9160) as amended, and the 2021 AMLA Implementing Rules | Designates casino operators (including online) as Covered Persons; imposes KYC, record-keeping, reporting of covered and suspicious transactions, independent audit. |
| Data Privacy Act of 2012 (RA 10173) | Requires operators to protect player data; PAGCOR routinely conditions licences on NPC registration. |
| RA 11590 (2021) | Creates a distinct 5 % gaming tax on the gross gaming revenue (GGR) of Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) and a 25 % final withholding tax on employees’ salaries. Applies by analogy to Philippine Inland Gaming Operators (PIGOs) unless a specific domestic regime applies. |
| BSP Circular 1108 (2021) | Requires VASPs and e-money issuers serving gaming operators to implement enhanced due diligence. |
| PAGCOR Rules & Regulations for Offshore Gaming (POGO) 2016, last consolidated 2024 | Defines four licence classes (Operator, Gaming Agent, Service Provider, Special Class of BPO); prescribes application, financial, security and probity requirements. |
| PAGCOR Regulatory Manual for Internet Gaming (PIGOs), adopted November 2020, updated January 2024 | Authorises domestic online casino gaming accessible only to Philippine residents age 21+; requires geofencing, .ph domains and “Know-Your-Player” biometric registration. |
Note: While several Senate bills proposed a total ban on POGOs in 2023-2024, no law has been enacted as of 9 June 2025. PAGCOR therefore continues to issue and renew POGO licences subject to stricter background vetting and a “zero-tolerance” enforcement stance.
3. Types of PAGCOR Online Gaming Licences
| Licence Category | Market Scope | Typical Brand | Key Requirements | Term & Renewal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| POGO-Operator | Offshore only; no Philippine players | 1xBet, Dafabet (offshore sites) | Paid-up capital ≥ US$1 M; accredited gaming & security labs; server colocation in accredited data centre | 3 yrs; renewable upon compliance review |
| PIGO (Inland) | Philippine residents only | BingoPlus, Winzir, e-Games outlets’ companion apps | ₱100 M paid-in capital; 2FA login; real-time data feed to PAGCOR monitoring | 3 yrs |
| Service Provider (Gaming System) | Supports POGOs/PIGOs with software, payment gateways, live-studio streaming | Evolution, Pragmatic Play | ISO 27001 certification; third-party fairness certification | 1 yr |
| Live Dealer Studio | Philippine studio streaming into offshore regulated markets | Okada Manila, Solaire | Studio floor plan approval; CCTV and redundant video archiving | 3 yrs |
Local government approval (City/Municipality business permit) is a prerequisite, but PAGCOR remains the primary regulator; no LGU may license online casinos on its own.
4. The Licensing Process
Letter of Intent & Application Dossier
- Corporate profile, ultimate beneficial owners (UBOs) disclosure.
- Audited financial statements; bank certification of capital.
- Compliance policies: AML, RG (responsible gaming), privacy.
Due Diligence & Probity Checks
- PAGCOR’s Licensing & Regulations Group (LRG) conducts criminal record checks (w/ DOJ, NBI, INTERPOL).
- Fit-and-proper interviews for directors, key gaming employees, money-laundering reporting officers.
Technical Evaluation
- Independent testing lab certificates (GLI-19, GLI-33 or ISO/IEC 17025) for RNG, game client, servers.
- Cyber-security penetration tests.
Pre-Licence Inspection & Casino Management System (CMS) Integration
- Operator’s CMS must feed meter data to PAGCOR’s Real-Time Monitoring Facility in Pasay within 60 seconds latency.
Provisional Licence (6–12 months)
- Allows soft launch under limited player base; PAGCOR auditors observe KYC, payout and geolocation controls.
Regular Licence
Issued once minimum revenue and compliance targets are met. The Licence Certificate carries:
- Permit Number (e.g. OFGL-22-0008)
- Issue Date & Expiry
- QR code linking to the PAGCOR Verification Page.
5. Verifying an Online Casino’s PAGCOR Licence
| Step | What to Check | How |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Certificate & QR Code | On the homepage footer or “About/Regulation” page, the operator must display an image of its PAGCOR certificate plus QR. Scan to open the pagcor.ph/verification URL; confirm that the domain’s SSL certificate matches pagcor.ph. |
| 2 | Licence Number Format | • POGO: POGO-<year>-<4-digit seq> • PIGO: PIGO-<year>-<seq> • Service Provider: SP-<year>-<seq>. Any deviation is suspect. |
| 3 | Operator Name Match | The legal entity listed on the verification page must match the Terms & Conditions / Privacy Policy of the site and the footer company info. |
| 4 | Status Flag | “Active”, “Suspended”, “Cancelled” or “Expired”. A red “Suspended” flag means all gaming transactions after the suspension date are illegal; player funds are not guaranteed. |
| 5 | Domain & Geoblock Consistency | • PIGOs must block IPs outside the Philippines. • POGOs must block Philippine IPs and display “Offshore players only”. Use a VPN to test. |
| 6 | Payment Channels | Only payments through Bangko Sentral-regulated e-wallets or banks (GCash, Maya, InstaPay) are permitted for PIGOs. POGOs cannot offer PHP-denominated cashier pages. |
| 7 | Customer Support Contact | The certificate lists a registered office; the same should appear in the contact page. |
| 8 | Cross-check with PAGCOR Master List | Download the quarterly PDF “List of Authorized Internet Gaming Licensees” from pagcor.ph/regulatory/igaming-list.pdf. Compare certificate numbers and expiry dates. |
| 9 | AML Registration | Search AMLC’s public list of registered Covered Persons. Non-listing is a red flag. |
| 10 | Report Doubts Promptly | Suspected fake licences may be reported via PAGCOR hotline (02) 8525-2273, e-mail gaminglicensing@pagcor.ph, or the NBI Anti-Cybercrime Division. Reporting is protected under the Safe Spaces Act (RA 11313) whistle-blower clause. |
6. Ongoing Compliance Obligations of Licensees
Monthly Gaming Reports & Payment of Fees
- 2 % regulatory fee (domestic GGR) plus 5 % franchise tax (RA 9337) for PIGOs;
- 5 % gaming tax on offshore GGR (RA 11590) remitted to BIR via eFPS.
AML & KYC
- ID verification using PhilSys e-KYC or e-passport for foreigners;
- Threshold transaction reporting (≥ PHP 5 M).
Responsible Gaming
- Self-exclusion lists integrated with PAGCOR’s national database;
- Daily time and wager limits; “Lock” cooling-off feature.
Game Fairness and RTP Posting
- Each game’s certified Return-to-Player percentage must be disclosed before play begins.
Third-Party Audit
- Annual systems and financial audit by a PAGCOR-accredited independent auditor.
Advertising Restrictions
- PIGOs may advertise only on +18 channels; POGOs may not advertise within the Philippines.
Data Retention
- 5-year retention of gaming logs, player communications and security footage.
7. Enforcement Powers & Sanctions
| Violation | Administrative Sanction | Ancillary Consequences |
|---|---|---|
| Unlicensed online casino ops | Immediate cease-and-desist; site blocking (NTC) | Criminal prosecution under Articles 195-199 RPC (illegal gambling), Anti-Cybercrime Act (2012); AMLA freeze orders |
| Licence breach (e.g. accepting Philippine bets on POGO licence) | ₱200 k–₱10 M fine; suspension 15–180 days | Player refund directive; reputational blacklist |
| Repeated AML reporting failures | Revocation; disqualification of directors | Potential AMLC fine up to ₱500 k per violation |
| Misleading ad to minors | ₱500 k per day fine; ad takedown | Possible Consumer Act penalties |
Players retain civil remedies under the Civil Code (Art. 19–21 “abuse of rights”) and may file complaints with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) for fraudulent or deceptive online practices. PAGCOR’s dispute-resolution decision is final in the administrative forum but is reviewable by the Court of Appeals via Rule 43 petition.
8. Jurisprudence Snapshot
- Jaworski v. PAGCOR, G.R. 144463 (June 2001) – upheld PAGCOR’s broad charter powers to license third parties.
- PAGCOR v. CEC, G.R. 215427 (Apr 2022) – confirmed that revenue from online gaming falls within PAGCOR’s franchise tax, not VAT.
- Horizon Players Club, Inc. v. PAGCOR, G.R. 243814 (Dec 2023) – first case recognising players’ standing to seek judicial review of a PAGCOR licence revocation that deprived them of deposits.
9. Practical Tips for Lawyers, Compliance Officers and Players
- Bookmark the Verification Portal and set a calendar reminder to re-check an operator at least once a quarter.
- Document Screenshots of the licence page in potential disputes; Philippine courts accept printouts if properly authenticated under the Rules on Electronic Evidence.
- Include Licence Clauses in Contracts with affiliates and payment processors, making validity of the PAGCOR licence a condition precedent.
- Track Legislative Developments – Several 19th Congress bills (S.B. 1281, H.B. 5083) seek either a total POGO ban or consolidation of POGO and PIGO into a single “iGaming” licence. Passage would change verification formats.
- Advise Clients on Tax – For domestic start-ups, confirm if the operator qualifies for 5 % GGR franchise tax or the 25 % regular corporate income tax plus VAT, depending on corporate structure.
10. Looking Ahead
PAGCOR’s 2024-2028 Roadmap envisages:
- Privatisation of State-Owned Casino Branches by 2027, leaving PAGCOR as a pure regulator—likely leading to stricter Chinese-style “regtech” integration and continuous monitoring of online operators.
- Full implementation of blockchain-based player wallets for better AML tracing, targeted for December 2026.
- Single-Licence Framework consolidating POGO and PIGO under the proposed “National Remote Gaming Licence” once Congress acts on the Gaming and Amusement Modernization Bill (pending as of May 2025).
Professionals should therefore expect licence numbers, verification URLs and reporting templates to evolve within the next 18-24 months.
11. Conclusion
Verifying an online casino’s PAGCOR licence is no longer a mere box-ticking exercise. It is a multi-layered due diligence process anchored on statutory mandates (PD 1869, RA 9487, AMLA, RA 11590), buttressed by PAGCOR’s increasingly granular regulations, and reinforced by inter-agency cooperation with the AMLC, NTC, NPC, BIR and law-enforcement authorities. A valid licence protects consumers, ensures state revenues and underpins the integrity of the Philippine gaming sector. By following the concrete verification steps outlined above and staying abreast of forthcoming legislative shifts, stakeholders can navigate the Philippine online gaming landscape with confidence and legal certainty.