PAGCOR Pushes Stronger Rules for iGaming While Rejecting Calls for a Ban

The debate around online gambling in the Philippines is heating up once again. At the Light & Wonder iGaming Symposium in Pasay City, PAGCOR Chairman and CEO Alejandro H. Tengco spoke directly to industry stakeholders about the future of iGaming in the country.

Instead of shutting the sector down, Tengco made it clear that stronger regulation — not prohibition — is the way forward. He argued that banning online casinos would only push players toward illegal operators, cutting off billions in tax revenue and putting thousands of jobs at risk.

Good to Know

• Electronic Games in the Philippines generated ₱154.51 billion in 2024, nearly half of total industry revenue.
• PAGCOR reforms, including lower license fees, fueled rapid growth in online play.
• The first half of 2025 saw iGaming revenue surpass land-based casinos for the first time.

Numbers presented at the symposium told the story. From just ₱58.16 billion in 2023, Electronic Games revenue jumped to ₱154.51 billion in 2024, making up almost half of the total ₱372.33 billion in gross gaming revenue.

Even more striking, the first half of 2025 already brought in ₱114.83 billion from the sector, easily outpacing traditional casinos and boosting PAGCOR’s overall revenues to ₱59 billion.

“The iGaming story in the Philippines is no longer just about growth; it’s about how we grow — safely, fairly, and sustainably,” Tengco said.

While operators celebrated the numbers, Tengco was quick to highlight the need for responsibility. PAGCOR has rolled out multiple reforms, including:

1. separating regulatory and operational functions,
2. enforcing stricter advertising rules,
3. launching a 24/7 player helpline,
4. introducing the PAGCOR Guarantee portal, and
5. testing AI-powered monitoring tools.

He urged operators to adopt “compliance by design”, step up anti-money laundering safeguards, strengthen KYC practices, and support the agency’s responsible gaming initiatives.

“We support stricter regulations to protect our people, but we are against a total ban which will only drive players to illegal operators and result in loss of revenues and jobs,” Tengco added.

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