PAGCOR to launch app enabling players to use licensed gaming platforms

The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) on Tuesday announced plans to launch an application that will allow players to use only licensed and regulated gaming platforms. This initiative aims to combat illegal online gaming and protect players by ensuring they engage with authorized operators. The app will be launched before the end of the year, according to remarks by PAGCOR Chairman Alejandro Tengco during the agency’s budget hearing at the House of Representatives on August 24, 2026. Tengco highlighted two main objectives: curbing illegal online gambling and safeguarding players through regulated platforms. Playing through licensed operators provides a mechanism for dispute resolution. The initiative follows PAGCOR’s ongoing efforts, in partnership with government agencies, to curb illegal online gaming and encourage players to use regulated platforms. Approximately 50% of online gaming sites accessed in the Philippines are illegal, posing ongoing challenges for PAGCOR and its law enforcement partners. Tengco urged players to use the PAGCOR App to identify legal gaming options, thereby protecting them from illegal operators and associated risks. The app builds on PAGCOR’s previous efforts, including the launch of the PAGCOR Guarantee page—a verification tool for licensed gaming providers—in 2025.