The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (PAGCOR) is developing an app to steer players toward licensed online gaming platforms as illegal operators continue to make up about half of the sites accessed in the Philippines.
PAGCOR Chairman and CEO Alejandro Tengco said the app, targeted for launch before yearend, will make it easier for users to identify and access platforms authorized by the regulator.
“The PAGCOR app has two main objectives: First, to curb illegal online gambling and second, to protect players by ensuring that they play only on platforms licensed and regulated by PAGCOR,” Tengco told the House Committee on Appropriations.
He said keeping users within the regulated sector is crucial as authorities intensify efforts to shut down unlicensed operators.
“Around 50 percent of online gaming sites accessed in the Philippines are illegal, and keeping players within the regulated sector has been an ongoing challenge for PAGCOR and our law enforcement partners,” Tengco said.
Unlike unlicensed sites, regulated platforms are subject to PAGCOR oversight and provide players with safeguards, including formal channels for resolving disputes.
The planned app expands PAGCOR’s approach from simply verifying legitimate operators to making licensed platforms easier for users to find and access.
It builds on the PAGCOR Guarantee verification facility launched in 2025, which allows users to check whether an online gaming provider holds a valid license.
The regulator is also working with the Department of Information and Communications Technology, National Telecommunications Commission, and Cybercrime Investigation and Coordination Center to identify illegal operators and disrupt the payment channels they use.
The push comes as regulators face a fast-moving digital market where unlicensed platforms can quickly appear, change identities, and reach users through online channels.
For PAGCOR, the app is intended to make regulation more visible at the point where users make choices online, while giving legitimate operators a clearer path to compete within the legal market.
The broader strategy is to combine technology, enforcement, and consumer awareness to shrink the space available to unlicensed platforms and strengthen safeguards for users.
