History of Online Gambling in the Philippines

Betting and games of chance among Filipinos date back for centuries. In fact, they’re so deeply ingrained in the local culture that they’re considered more than mere entertainment. Games such as Sakla are even used to honor the dead, which is not something you’ll find anywhere else in the world.

With that in mind, we’ll have to narrow things down a bit. Specifically, we’ll look at how modern online gambling rose to such prominence over the past two decades. You can check out a timeline of major events in the graphic below. It details the most impactful laws and advancements that produced today’s Philippine online gambling industry.

The industry itself is characterized by two major components:

• The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation or PAGCOR, which acts as both a state-owned enterprise and the country’s regulative body

• Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators or POGOs, which are licensed independent companies that offer gaming services to foreign markets

PAGCOR is perhaps the more important of the two. Not only does it maintain sole rights to manage gambling in the Philippines, but it also regulates all privately owned casinos and gaming parlours. While licensed companies such as POGOs are common all over the world, PAGCOR is entirely unique.

What is PAGCOR?

As we just mentioned, PAGCOR is a government-owned and controlled gambling corporation. It was established in 1977 by presidential decree to regulate gaming and reign in illegal casino operations which were quickly spreading at the time.

First of all, PAGCOR owns and operates its own casinos and slot clubs all across the Philippines. It’s quite successful in that regard thanks to government support and a focus on growth. 

Secondly, it regulates and oversees pretty much all legal gambling in the country. It’s solely responsible for issuing licenses to independent operators and making sure laws and regulations are enforced. 

In fact, PAGCOR’s goals are mandated by a charter under the Office of the President of the Philippines. These goals are threefold:

1. Regulate, operate, authorize and license games of chance, games of cards and games of numbers, particularly casino gaming in the Philippines
2. Generate revenues for the Philippine government’s socio-civic and national development programs
3. Help promote the Philippine tourism industry

Online Casinos and the Future

While most online casinos in the Philippines are actually licensed and not part of PAGCOR, that is set to change in 2024.

Speaking at the SiGMA Asia Summit in 2023, the PAGCOR chairman and CEO Alejandro H. Tengco announced that an official state-owned online casino is in the works. Dubbed the Casino Filipino, this casino site will be a global-facing operation that can massively improve both the revenue and reach of PAGCOR.

If you want more facts and info about online gambling in the Philippines, check out our infographic. It presents a lot more interesting information in an easily digestible way, letting you peek into Asia’s fastest-growing gambling industry.

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