Philippine Online Gambling Rules Explained (2026)

Philippine online gambling rules explained: PAGCOR, POGO ban and e-wallets, updated October 2026

Quick answer: In the Philippines, PAGCOR is the regulator that licenses online gambling for people in the country. Offshore operators licensed for foreign players (POGOs) have been banned since 31 December 2024. Sites that PAGCOR has not licensed are treated as illegal and can be blocked, and e-wallets were ordered in August 2025 to remove in-app gambling links. Congress is still debating tighter rules, and as of this update we found no confirmation that any of the new bills has become law.

Last updated: 20 October 2026. This is general information, not legal advice. Rules are changing quickly, so we list our sources and say where we could not confirm the latest status. This page has no affiliate links.

The key rules at a glance

Topic	Where it stands	Source
Who licenses online gambling for players in the Philippines	PAGCOR (Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation). It publishes a list of licensed operators.	PAGCOR
Offshore gaming (POGOs, IGLs)	Banned by Executive Order No. 74, signed 5 Nov 2024, effective 31 Dec 2024.	Inquirer
Unlicensed gambling sites	Treated as illegal. PAGCOR works with DICT, CICC and NTC to have them blocked.	DZRH
E-wallets and gambling	BSP told supervised institutions on 14 Aug 2025 to remove in-app gambling links. GCash and Maya complied.	Philstar
Online cockfighting (e-sabong)	Banned since 2022; thousands of streaming sites blocked.	Inquirer
New online gambling law	Proposed (ban and regulation bills); no confirmation any has passed.	BusinessMirror

1. PAGCOR is the licensing authority

PAGCOR is the government-owned body that regulates and licenses gambling in the Philippines. For an online casino or betting site to be legal for people in the country, it should hold a PAGCOR licence. A licence from another country, such as Curaçao, Malta or the Isle of Man, is valid in that country and does not give a site permission to serve players in the Philippines.

PAGCOR’s reported 2025 figures show how big the market is: about 10 million Filipinos gambling online across 32.1 million active accounts. It has been tightening its own rules, including stricter know-your-customer checks (a valid government ID and a live selfie), tighter advertising controls and wider responsible-gaming measures.

2. The POGO ban (Executive Order 74)

POGOs were offshore operators licensed to take bets from customers outside the Philippines. President Marcos signed Executive Order No. 74 on 5 November 2024, ordering the immediate cessation of POGOs, internet gaming licensees and other offshore gaming operations. It took effect on 31 December 2024. Operators that kept running after that date are treated as illegal.

The POGO ban is about operators in the Philippines serving customers abroad. It is a separate issue from whether Filipino players can use sites licensed elsewhere, which is covered below.

3. Unlicensed sites are treated as illegal and get blocked

PAGCOR has said that around half of the online gaming sites reachable in the Philippines are illegal, down from over 90% when the current chairman took office. In July 2024 it reported 7,747 illegal sites detected, of which 5,793 (almost 75%) had been blocked. PAGCOR coordinates with the DICT, the CICC and the NTC, and asks the NTC to have telcos block non-compliant sites.

Blocked operators often return under new domains, and fake “mirror” copies of real sites appear that steal logins and deposits. That is why the advice is to never log in through links from chat, SMS or social media.

Cebu City approved a resolution in July 2025 restricting gambling sites and VPN access on its government-provided networks. This applies to city government internet, not to residents in general.

4. E-wallets: the August 2025 BSP directive

On 14 August 2025, during a joint Senate hearing, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) said it had directed all its supervised institutions to remove links that give in-app access to online gambling from their payment apps and websites. GCash suspended access through its Glife section from 16 August 2025, and Maya disabled its “The Games” feature. The BSP said the suspension stays in place until it finalises its policy on online gambling payment services.

We could not find the text of a final BSP policy or confirm whether one has been issued since. In practice, this means e-wallets are being asked to distance themselves from gambling merchants, so payment methods can change or stop working without notice.

5. Online sabong (e-sabong)

E-sabong, meaning betting on live-streamed cockfights, was suspended in 2022 and then banned. Reports say President Marcos’ order bars wagering on live cockfights streamed or broadcast online regardless of where the betting platform is located, while physical cockfights in licensed venues remain legal. The PNP blocked over 2,400 streaming sites and reported 1,245 arrests between July 2022 and August 2023. Because the ban rests on an executive order rather than a statute, police have pushed for e-sabong to be listed explicitly as illegal gambling. We did not find 2025–2026 reporting on any change.

6. New laws being debated in 2026

A ban. Senate Bill No. 47, filed in July 2025, would outlaw all forms of online gambling. Sources describe it as pending in committee.
Limits on advertising and payments. Separate proposals would ban gambling advertising on social media and stop gambling accounts from being funded through e-wallets and credit cards.
A comprehensive framework. In March 2026, the Senate and PAGCOR were reported to be drafting a bill that sets a new regulatory framework for online gaming.

Bill numbers and timelines differ between news reports, and we found no confirmation that any of these has passed either chamber. Check the Senate and House bill trackers for the latest status.

What this means for a player

The safest legal route is a site you can find on PAGCOR’s own list of licensed operators.
Offshore sites are in a legal grey zone for players. Enforcement has focused on operators, not individual players, but unlicensed sites are treated as illegal, can be blocked, and give you no Philippine regulator to complain to.
Illegal gambling of any kind (for example betting stakes in unlicensed card games or e-sabong) is a crime under Philippine law. See our Melbet legal guide for how this applies to one popular offshore brand.
Payments are unstable. E-wallets are under pressure to cut gambling links, so a deposit method that works today may stop.

How to check whether a site is licensed

Find the licence number in the site footer.
Check it with the regulator that issued it, not on the gambling site itself.
For a Philippine licence, check the operator against PAGCOR’s official list.
If a site says “PAGCOR approved” but is not on PAGCOR’s own list, treat the claim as false.

If gambling is a problem

If you or someone you know is struggling, free, confidential help is available. See our responsible gambling page, which lists the NCMH crisis hotline (1553 or 0917-899-8727) and other support.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is online gambling legal in the Philippines?

Online gambling is legal when it is offered by an operator licensed by PAGCOR. Sites without a PAGCOR licence are treated as illegal, and offshore gaming operations (POGOs) have been banned since 31 December 2024.

Can I be arrested for playing on an offshore casino site?

Reported enforcement has focused on operators rather than individual online players, but unlicensed gambling is treated as illegal and gives you no legal protection. We cannot give legal advice, so ask a lawyer if you need certainty.

Why are gambling sites blocked in the Philippines?

PAGCOR asks the NTC, working with the DICT and the CICC, to have telcos block sites it identifies as illegal. Blocked operators often reappear on new domains.

Did GCash and Maya remove online gambling?

In August 2025, after a BSP directive, GCash and Maya suspended in-app gambling access. The BSP said the suspension remains until it finalises a policy on online gambling payment services.