The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) has announced plans to launch a new app this year to help online gaming players identify and access licensed operators.
At the same time, PAGCOR Chairman Alejandro Tengco has disclosed that around 50% of online gaming sites accessed in the Philippines are illegal.
Tengco said: “The PAGCOR app has two main objectives: First, to curb illegal online gambling and second, to protect players by ensuring that they play only on platforms licensed and regulated by PAGCOR.
“The easier it is for players to identify where they can legally play, the better we can protect them from illegal operators and the risks that come with unregulated gaming.”
PAGCOR is also coordinating with the Department of Information and Communications Technology, the National Telecommunications Commission and the Cybercrime Investigation Coordination Centre to prosecute illegal online gaming operators, including those using unlicensed payment channels.
The development comes as the regulated sector's GGR continues to shrink. For Q2 2026, online gambling GGR reached PHP 39.85bn ($645.5m), down approximately 37% year-over-year.
Furthermore, Tengco recently warned that the regulator expects to generate nearly PHP 87bn in income this year, representing an 18% decline as the Middle East crisis and stricter gambling regulations weigh on earnings.
At a congressional budget hearing, Tengco said the slowdown in income can be attributed to the delinking of electronic wallets from online gambling platforms.
He added that although online gambling saw an increase in early 2026, growth remained limited by the ongoing Middle East crisis.
Tengco said the impact was particularly significant among lower and middle-income segments, which make up a large proportion of the country's online gambling audience.
In January this year, PAGCOR cut the rate charged on sports betting operators for live sports to 15% while maintaining the rate for virtual sports at 30%
