Pagcor Cuts Live Sports Betting Fees to 15 %

A quiet regulatory update from Pagcor is now reshaping how sports betting operators calculate fees in the Philippines. The change applies retroactively and adjusts how much licensed providers owe based on betting format.

Good to Know

• Live sports betting now pays 15 percent of gross gaming revenue
• Virtual sports betting remains at a 30 percent GGR rate
• The update applies retroactively to November 2025 billing

New Fee Structure Takes Effect Retroactively

Licensed live sports betting providers will now pay 15 percent of gross gaming revenue, while virtual sports betting operators continue at a 30 percent rate. Pagcor confirmed the adjustment through a memo dated January 19, with billing backdated to November 2025.

The guidance came from the Electronic Gaming Licensing Department and applies across licensed sports betting activities covered by Pagcor oversight. The memo framed the update as a clarification of how Pagcor share rates apply to sports betting operations.

How the New Rates Compare With Prior Levels

Public data shows the live sports betting rate reflects a reduction. Since January 2025, operators paid 17.5 percent of GGR. Earlier still, the rate stood at 22.5 percent in mid 2023. The new 15 percent level continues a gradual downward trend for that category.

Virtual sports betting did not change under the update. Operators continue to pay 30 percent of GGR, a level introduced in January last year. Even so, the current rate remains well below the 41.25 percent applied as of August 2023, based on Pagcor figures.

Regulatory Approval and Framework Changes

The revised rates appear in amendments to Pagcor Regulatory Framework for the Fees and Rates on Gaming Venue Operations. The Pagcor board approved those amendments during a January 8 meeting, according to the memo.

The document did not outline what fee structures applied immediately before the change for each category. Instead, it focused on aligning billing with the updated framework now in effect.

In the January 19 notice, the Electronic Gaming Licensing Department described the revision as a step to clarify Pagcor share rates for sports betting. The language suggests a standardization effort rather than a broad policy shift, even as the numbers change for live betting operators.

For licensed providers, the adjustment affects forecasting, compliance planning, and backdated payments tied to the final months of 2025.

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