Play and Gamble Responsibly: A Look at the Legality of Online Casinos in the Philippines

The Philippines has a long, complicated, yet rich gambling history. According to some historians, the country’s love affair with games and betting started even before the arrival of the colonizers. Pigafetta mentioned about a game between two cocks, which we know now as ‘sabong’ or cockfighting. Fast-forward to today, and we now have a thriving regulated gambling industry. Our passion for betting remains in this age of the internet and smartphone betting. Filipinos can now access a legal online casino, and play popular online casino games such as slots, table games, poker, and live casinos using various mobile devices. But it doesn’t mean that we have a free-for-all gambling market.

 

On the contrary, the Philippines boasts some of the strictest rules and regulations, with specific government agencies tasked to regulate the industry. If you’re a player or just curious about the state of gambling in the country, you have found the right page! We’ll cover the current legal casino landscape in the Philippines, the top casinos and agencies involved, and the industry’s prospects for the future.

 

Heads Up, Fellow Filipino Casino Players! It’s Perfectly Legal to Play Online

In recent years, regulated gambling has picked up in other countries, including the United Kingdom, Australia, South Africa, and several other states in the United States. This exciting development has led many in the Philippines to ask the same question: is signing up and playing at an online casino legal? The short answer is, YES, it’s perfectly legal to access an casino Philippines with free signup bonus and play with real money. However, there are a few crucial details that you need to consider if you want to gamble and play your favorite online casino games.

 

If you’re from the Philippines, you can access online casinos in two ways. Firstly, you can sign up and play at a legal online casino registered and licensed by Philippine authorities. The country’s leading agency tasked to regulate the online gambling sector is the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR).

 

As of May 16th, 2024, PAGCOR recognizes 41 service providers representing dozens of online casinos. Secondly, you’ll find offshore licensed casinos in other jurisdictions, such as Malta, Costa Rica, and Curacao.

 

Yes, you can access these websites from the Philippines, but they’re outside the regulations of the PAGCOR and local authorities. Locally licensed and offshore casinos differ in who regulates and imposes other restrictions. For example, PAGCOR-licensed casinos will only allow players at least 21 years of age to play. On the other hand, offshore-licensed casinos enable players at least 18 to play. In addition, PAGCOR’s licensees must abide by the Code of Practice, which covers fair games and responsible gambling.

 

Why the Restriction?

Gambling is a contentious and even political issue in the Philippines, with plenty of stakeholders on both sides of the fence. PAGCOR’s entry, policies, and restrictions benefit all stakeholders, particularly the players. As the government’s lead agency, PAGCOR aims to level the playing field, promote fairness and integrity, and promote a platform for responsible gambling. PAGCOR’s campaign is clear: players must ‘game responsibly and keep it fun.

 

As part of the regulatory framework, players must be protected from undue harm, particularly underage gambling. It aims to promote fair and transparent games, as a Random Number Generator or RNG must test such licensed casinos and games. Also, the best online casino sites in the Philippines restrict players’ registrations and withdrawals to implement RA No. 9160 or the Anti-Money Laundering. So, don’t be surprised if a legal online casino will confirm your details and will ask you to upload scanned government IDs. We call it the ‘Know Your Customer’ or KYC policy, which aims to prevent fraud and underage gambling.

Play and Gamble Responsibly by Following Our Tips

Gambling at a legal online casino becomes fun and exciting if you sign up with the right platform. In addition to its licensing and business registration, there are a few more criteria to remember when practicing due diligence.

 

 

Key Criteria	The Good Signals	The Bad Signals
Licensing and registration	PAGCOR-licensed and recognized offshore licensed casinos get remote licenses from Curacao, Costa Rica, or Malta, among others	No information about licensing or business registration; no About Us information
Payment policies	Transparent payment policies; accept local payments like GCash and local bank transfers	Lacks information about banking and processing times; does not accept GCash; payments take days or even weeks
Transparency, fairness, and security	Fully encrypted, uses an RNG	No clear information about its security protocols
Customer support	Offers 24/7 customer support through Live Chat, email, or even Telegram; supports multiple languages, including Tagalog	It does not offer 24/7 customer support, limited contact options
Site layout and usability	It loads fast and provides a dedicated mobile app	Slow loading times, no dedicated app

 

 

Heads Up, Fellow Filipino Casino Players! It’s Perfectly Legal to Play Online

In addition to licensing, payments, security, and overall usability, comparing casinos based on games and software is best. A top legal online casino will always feature the following:

 

• A diverse selection of online casino games like slots, table games, blackjack, and poker.
• Games are playable in demo or real money modes.
• Live casino games, with popular live dealer variants of blackjack, baccarat, and poker from Evolution Gaming.
• Games are tested by an RNG, often from iTechLabs and
• All games are optimized for mobile.

 

Looking Ahead: What to Expect from Online Casinos in the Philippines

The Philippines boasts a vibrant regulated betting and casino industry. The Philippines and other SEA nations have been fueling the industry’s growth in the last few years, but not Macau. In PAGCOR’s latest data as of March 2024, the country’s gaming GGR reached a record high of Php 81.70 billion or US$1.42 billion for the first three months of the year, up 18.5% yearly.

 

The country will continue its growth in the next few years, fueled by the growing demand for the e-games segment. PAGCOR attributes the country’s casino industry’s growth to the introduction of new technologies and smartphones for betting. I think that the game changer for regulated gambling’s growth is the increasing use of mobile devices for gambling. Globe and PLDT’s support for 5G technology, plus the accessibility of mobile apps, add to the appeal of playing at a legal online casino. Another factor that drives players’ engagement is the increasing popularity of fast games