The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) is targeting December 2026 to launch a mobile application designed to help players distinguish licensed online gambling platforms from illegal operators.
Chairman and CEO Alejandro Tengco said the tool would enable users to check whether platforms hold PAGCOR licenses, supporting informed choices and the regulator’s efforts against unauthorised gambling.
PAGCOR’s board approved the app’s development and implementation on 8 October. This included a proposed partnership with Development Bank of the Philippines Data Center, Inc. (DCI), subject to applicable laws and regulations.
Under the proposed arrangement, DCI would develop, host, operate and maintain the platform, alongside providing technical support, at no cost to PAGCOR.
Before full-scale implementation, the technology provider must submit a proof of concept for a minimum viable product for the regulator’s evaluation and acceptance.
A six-month assessment will examine proposed features, system architecture, security controls and overall feasibility. PAGCOR said it could terminate the arrangement if deficiencies identified during evaluation were not addressed within a reasonable period.
The partnership must comply with applicable data privacy, cybersecurity and information security laws, including the Philippines’ Data Privacy Act of 2012. Data-sharing and security provisions will be incorporated into the partnership terms or addressed through a separate agreement.
The proposed arrangement would last five years and could be renewed by mutual written agreement.
PAGCOR is also coordinating with the Department of Information and Communications Technology, National Telecommunications Commission and Cybercrime Investigation and Coordination Center on action against illegal online gambling operators.
The app proposal follows other recent PAGCOR developments, including nearly 40,000 approved self-exclusion applications and revised rebate rules for slot machines and electronic gaming.
Separately, the agency is targeting an exit from casino operations in the third or fourth quarter of 2027 as it advances plans to privatize Casino Filipino and separate its commercial and regulatory functions.
The proposed partnership would run for five years, with renewal subject to mutual written agreement
