Online Gambling in the Philippines: An Overview

Internet gambling is clearly legal in the Philippines, but that declaration is only a small part of the story. As with land-based gambling, there are two different corporations set up to handle the regulation of the iGaming industry, and they have very different policies – neither of which are likely to be fully satisfactory for Filipinos who want to enjoy a full online gambling experience.

First, there’s PAGCOR, which runs a sort of limited online gambling operation. While you can’t access their sites from home, there are hundreds of “e-Games stations” that are licensed to operate in the country, including more than 100 in the Manila area alone. These cafes allow locals to come in, use computers, and play games from providers such as Realtime Gaming. These sites also allow for sports betting.

Meanwhile, FCLRC offers up fully functioning, top locally-licensed online casinos, making them the only jurisdiction in Asia (at least for now) that offers up the chance for operators to be regulated. There’s only one catch: these sites cannot take play from individuals in the Philippines itself. That means that while many companies seek out these licenses, they do so to offer games in other Asian (and worldwide) jurisdictions, not to target the country itself.

Other legal online gambling options in the country include Philippines Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs). There are currently 60 POGOs operating within the country, all of which are licensed by PAGCOR. These operators also cater exclusively to foreign markets and exclude locals from their offerings.

All of this means that, for locals who want to play in their homes, foreign websites are the only option for real money gambling. That’s hardly a problem, though, as many of the largest operators and developers in the world are active here. It certainly doesn’t hurt that a 2012 court ruling validated that there is no ban on online gambling in the Philippines, which makes it easier for sites to justify allowing real money play from the country.

Some major brands still keep themselves out of this jurisdiction: after all, without any true regulation, it is not as though operators are being welcomed with open arms. But there are more than enough sites willing to offer gaming in this grey market to ensure that you should be able to find exactly what you’re looking for. 

Software Developers and Online Casino Games in Philippines

In the Philippines’ land-based casinos, classic table games have remained very popular, and this has been echoed in the online environment, especially with the rise of live dealer titles in recent years. 

In terms of online casino, slots are also very popular, and the most successful developers in the country are those which provide both these game types. 

While some major casino operators may avoid the market, the top software developers in the world provide their games to Philippines online casino players. The best providers include:

•    Evolution Gaming

The undisputed top of the pack when it comes to live dealer games, Evolution has flown in popularity in recent years with their brand of innovative live casino titles. From classic blackjack to unique first-person perspective titles, no developer does live dealer games like Evolution. 

•    NetEnt

NetEnt have an impressive live dealer suite, even if it is limited in the number of games on offer. However, for NetEnt, the priority has always been slots. From classics like Starburst to impressive modern releases and even forays into VR gaming, NetEnt’s slots are among the best around. 

•    Playtech

Playtech are arguably second to Evolution in terms of live dealer games, and also compete with NetEnt when it comes to slots. The jewel in the crown of the Playtech collection is undoubtedly the Age of the Gods series of progressive jackpot slots. 

•    Microgaming

Microgaming offer a few table games, but are yet to make any real strides into the live dealer market. However, when it comes to slots, only NetEnt can challenge Microgaming for the crown. A huge collection of slots including iconic titles like Immortal Romance ensures Microgaming remain one of the most popular developers around. 

Payment Methods at Philippines Online Casinos

Due to the huge number of foreign operators operating with limited regulation in the Philippines online casino market, most payment methods are available at gambling sites. A few of the most common banking options you’ll come across include:

Credit and Debit Cards

While some players are not comfortable sharing their banking information with Philippines online casinos, or having their banks know that their money is going on such sites, debit and credit card payments remain the most popular payment method. 

E-Wallets and Prepaid Cards

For those looking to avoid sharing personal banking information, middle-man options are popular. E-Wallets like Neteller and Skrill allow for a level of privacy and faster payment methods, while pre-paid cards like Paysafecard are also rising in usage. 

Cryptocurrencies

The only thing holding Bitcoin and other crypto options back from immense popularity in the Philippines online casino industry is the lack of sites offering these banking options. There are enough online casino sites in the Philippines accepting cryptocurrencies for this method to be worthy of mention, and that number is likely to grow. 

Land-Based Gambling Options in the Philippines 

Gambling has present in the Philippines for as long as anyone can remember, though it was not always handled in such a controlled manner as what exists today. Up through the mid-1970s, illegal betting operations were ever-present throughout the country, with both traditional Filipino games and some more recognizable global options being present – if you knew where to look. While bingo and pari-mutuel betting on jai alai were permitted, it was clear that most of the wagering taking place throughout the nation was being done illegally.

This situation was challenged by the creation of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation, better known as PAGCOR. Wholly owned by the state, PAGCOR has grown to become the largest source of revenue – other than taxes – for the national government. However, the corporation started relatively small: after being created by a Presidential Decree, it built its first casino in 1977, the Manila Bay Casino. The floating operation was the only legal game in town until 1979, when a fire caused critical damage to the MS Philippine Tourist, the luxury liner that hosted the venue.

That forced PAGCOR to look into land-based gaming as an alternative – and what an alternative it would become. Today, there are dozens of licensed casinos that are operating throughout the Philippines; most of these are in the Manila metro area, ranging from small card rooms to hotels that have been authorized to include slots or other games on their premises.

The most recent expansive push has seen PAGCOR attempt to compete with some of the world’s biggest gaming hubs through the creation of integrated resorts. The first such venue, Resorts World Manila, was opened in Newport City in 2009. However, the true scope of the effort was only seen in Entertainment City, where the government made plans to open a series of major resorts that would rival those seen in Las Vegas, Macau, and other major destination cities.

This project moved into full swing in 2013, when the Solaire Manila was opened. It was to be the first of four such resorts to open in the area; the second, the City of Dreams Manila, opened in early 2015. Each of these facilities cost more than $1 billion to develop, and have prided themselves on offering world-class amenities alongside their massive gaming floors.

Other forms of gambling are also popular throughout the country. As the Philippines is a heavily Catholic nation (more than 80% of the population practices the religion), it may not come as a surprise that church bingo has taken a strong hold here as well, with small games for charity and large contests held by casinos both being common. Sports betting also has quite a strong following, both in terms of pari-mutuel racing on horses, jai alai, and even cockfights as well as on worldwide sporting events through licensed sportsbooks. A national lottery is also popular, with the Philippine Lottery Draw being aired on television since 1995.

There is one other group worth noting in the country’s gambling landscape: the First Cagayan Leisure and Resort Corporation, or FCLRC, which operates out of the Cagayan Special Economic Zone. Gaming facilities in this region operate under different rules than in the rest of the nation, and cater exclusively to foreigners in an effort to draw tourism to the region.

What’s Next for the Philippines’ Gambling Industry? 

The Philippines clearly had some major plans for its gaming industry. In addition to the integrated resorts that have already been built in Entertainment City, Westside City Resorts World (formally Resorts World Bayshore) is set to open in 2021. This will create a small hub of casinos in a very small area that PAGCOR and others hope will attract tourists from China, other Asian nations, and perhaps throughout the world.

There’s surely no doubt that this will happen to some extent. There is simply too much money and effort being expended here to have no results at all: each of the new resorts is beautiful, with the City of Dreams being a particularly attractive resort that is sure to become the favourite of at least some high rollers.

Back in 2015, PAGCOR’s plan was to raise the national gambling revenues for the Philippines to $10 billion per year by 2020. Many were initially sceptical that these numbers were unrealistic. Seeing as back in 2014, the nation only brought in $2.5 billion, while the entire state of Nevada brought in just over $11 billion in 2015, and Macau lead the world once again with just under $29 billion in revenues. 

The national gambling revenue, however, has certainly increased in recent years. PAGCOR has reported revenue of P75.8 billion for 2019, which represents an 11.6% increase from its 2018 figure of P67.85 billion.

These rising figures were disrupted in 2020 due to the closure of casinos to stop the spread of COVID-19. PAGCOR reported a 49.9% profit decrease to P777.4 million for the first quarter of the year, well below its initial target. Profits for Q2 are expected to decrease further, since land-based gambling operations have yet to reopen and resume operations. 

It will be impossible to properly forecast the future of the market here until all casinos and land-based gambling establishments have reopened. PAGCOR hasn’t met the targets it had set out for Q1 in 2020, and fifteen online gambling operators have pulled out of the market in the same year.   

The Future of Online Casinos in the Philippines

When it comes to online gambling in the Philippines, it seems like there won’t be licenced online casinos for Filipinos any time soon. POGOs will exclusively keep catering to foreign markets, and it’s unlikely there will be any regulated online gambling options for locals. This has been reinforced in the past month by a warning issued by the Philippines’ government. In a statement posted on the PAGCOR website, the country’s government has stated that people should avoid engaging in gambling activities on the internet due to the increased risk of being scammed. Citizens ignoring this warning will be prosecuted, seeing as there’s a strong link between illegal gambling and organized crime.

 If you’re still looking for a reputable online casino in the Philippines, we strongly advise only choosing sites with valid licenses from authorized gambling regulators in offshore jurisdictions. We also recommend checking the site’s casino games to verify that they’ve been certified for fair play by independent testing companies like eCOGRA,  the UK-based independent regulatory body for the online gambling industry. Reading through a couple of unbiased casino reviews should prove to help you find a genuine Philippines gambling site too.