Online gambling in the Philippines is booming and the money flowing through gaming platforms is huge. But with that growth come questions of who’s regulating it, where the money is going, and its safety for players. And that is where PAGCOR, the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation, comes in.
In 2025, PAGCOR has made some bold moves, like changing licensing fees, cracking down on illegal sites, and even planning to stop operating their own casinos so they can focus fully on being a regulator. In this article, we’ll break down the agency’s activities and their impacts on the online gambling industry in the country.
Regulatory Environment and Licensing Framework
PAGCOR has gone all-in on reshaping the online casino industry in 2025 with new regulations. Let’s discuss some of them below.
Lower Fees to Attract Legal Operators
Before this year, licensed online gaming operators had to pay 35% of their gross gaming revenue (GGR). As of January 1, 2025, e-gaming operators now pay 30% of their gross gaming revenue (GGR), a cut down from 35%. Resort-backed operators are getting an even better deal at 25%.
The objective is to compel unlicensed or “grey market” entities to reconsider their actions and, ideally, transition to a legal online gaming permit under PAGCOR’s license. PAGCOR Chairman and CEO Alejandro H. Tengco emphasized that the lower fees are key to the development of online gaming in the country.
He said, “The gradual reduction of share rates has significantly contributed to the growth of the E-Games sector, which has become a key driver of the local gaming industry.”
More Licenses, More Control
These fee cuts aren’t random. PAGCOR wants more legit operators and fewer illegal ones. And it’s working because the number of licensed e‑game services jumped significantly.
By the end of 2024, there were 1,188 licenses, up from around 1,046 in 2023, and accredited service providers climbed from just 49 to 174. The result of this is that there are more PAGCOR online casinos than ever that players in the Philippines can turn to. If you want to set up your tent with any of these operators, you should go through the PAGCOR online casinos list as seen on recommended expert review platforms or the agency’s official website. You will definitely find one that appeals to you.
Cleaning Up the Offshore Scene
PAGCOR is cleaning house on offshore gaming (formerly POGOs), now fully banned, with their licenses revoked by year-end 2024.
They’re also warning against fake licensing sites. PAGCOR itself flagged a scam site impersonating their official portal and told operators to avoid it. Now, the message is loud and clear to casino players to only trust the PAGCOR licensed online casinos.
Revenue Trends and Economic Contributions of PAGCOR
To understand how far things have come, we need to look back to 2024. That year, PAGCOR made history with a total revenue of ₱112 billion, which is the highest it has ever earned. A large part of that came from online gambling, especially e-games and e-bingo, which grew by a huge 116%.
By the end of the year, PAGCOR had made almost ₱47 billion just from digital platforms. That alone was nearly half of all the gaming money it brought in.
PAGCOR Online Gambling Revenue Increase Q1 2025
The first quarter of 2025 has already shown how powerful online gambling has become under PAGCOR’s leadership. Between January and March, the agency earned ₱28.1 billion in total revenue. That’s an 11.2% jump from the same period last year.
But what really stands out is how much of that came from online gambling. Online games like e-bingo, virtual slots, and live e-casino tables generated over ₱14 billion, which is more than half of all its gaming income for the quarter.
The agency projects that the country’s total gaming revenue could hit between ₱450 billion and ₱480 billion by the end of the year. And a big reason for that growth is again online gambling, according to PAGCOR Chairman Alejandro Tengco. In a briefing, he said, “I believe it will come from e-gaming and the trend in January and February will continue, land-based (operations) will grow, though not as significantly.”
Impacts of PAGCOR on the Online Casino Industry
PAGCOR’s push to regulate and boost online gambling has changed the online casino scene in the Philippines. First, we are seeing an increase in gross gaming revenue of online games. Digital gaming now outpaces traditional casino halls, making up half of all gaming revenue.
With PAGCOR cutting fees from 35% to 30%, licensed platforms can be more competitive, offering safer deposits, decent bonuses, and fresh game designs. Thus, players can enjoy variety and reliability. And since the agency keeps a transparent checklist of PAGCOR online casino list, it’s easy for players to spot legit sites.
Spillover Effects on Other Industries
The growth in revenue from online gambling PAGCOR platforms have real impacts on the whole country. A large part of the agency’s income goes straight into public programs. In just the first three months of 2025, it sent around ₱15.6 billion to the national government to support services like healthcare and infrastructure. This included major contributions to the Universal Health Care program, which helps millions of Filipinos get medical treatment.
As more operators get PAGCOR license online gaming, they need support services like marketing teams, customer support, legal advisors, and office administrators. That generates thousands of jobs, directly in casinos and indirectly in property management and digital services.
Wrapping Up
PAGCOR has clearly made its mark in 2025. On one hand, it’s pulling in more money than ever, with online gambling now leading the charge in gaming revenue. On the other hand, it’s doing a better job of keeping things in check, cleaning up illegal operators, making rules clearer, and making sure players know where to play safely.
These changes show that the online casino industry in the Philippines is growing legally, responsibly, and with strong support behind it. No doubt, PAGCOR is helping shape an industry that’s built to last in the Philippines.
