Yes, foreigners can legally place bets through licensed domestic sportsbooks or use offshore platforms while in the country. Signed into order to amend certain provisions of Decree No. 1602, this act increased the penalty for illegal number games. It defines the punishable acts for anyone who is caught betting, participating, maintaining or operating an illegal numbers game. Signed by then president Ferdinand Marcos in 1975, this law defines legal gambling in the Philippines and how they intend to use the revenue to build infrastructure and create facilities to promote tourism. Creation and purpose of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) and the general corporate powers are included.
If an online site were licensed in the Philippines it would not be allowed to offer Filipinos its services. Most online sites that carry licenses are out of the Cagayan Economic Zone Authority. All gambling activities, and activities and services directly or indirectly related to or in support of such gambling activities, conducted beyond the territorial jurisdiction of the government authority which issued the license therefor, shall be dealt with cowparadeniseko.com as illegal gambling. Formed in 1951, (GAB) is an organization that regulates and supervises play for pay sports and strives to prevent the formation of illegal bookies and other illegal gambling centered around combat games and amusement games.
The Cagayan-Freeport area has its own set of laws and regulators for the region and aims to produce a self-sufficient industry and provide employment and income for the community. The First Cagayan Resort and Leisure Corporation’s primary purpose is to operate and control facilities in the Metropolis of Santa Ana and the neighboring islands in the Province of Cagayan. They also set up and control the hub with its internet servers that host web sites, gaming software, collection payment systems and much more. They also monitor all activities that contain to the licensing and operating of interactive games in their economic zone.
This means that Filipino players can legally enjoy online casino gambling at destinations that are licensed, regulated and located outside of the Philippines. In addition, it is perfectly legal for players to access and bet at mobile sites as long as they are operated by licensed and regulated offshore casino operators. You can learn more about the legalities in different areas in our guide to Philippines legal casino gambling by region. Illegal gambling refers to any form of betting or wagering that operates outside the boundaries of the law.
Is gambling big in the Philippines?
Thirty-two million Filipinos — roughly half of the 60 million adult population in the country — are gamblers, according to the latest government records. As of July 15, 2025, the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor) has recorded 32.117 million “Filipino electronic gaming players.
Is Online Sports Betting Legal in the Philippines?
Filipino casinos tend to feature classic table games such as blackjack, roulette, and poker as well as slot machines. There are bars and restaurants galore, with VIP rooms for high rollers. Below you can play online casino games for free before you get started for real money.
A great number of casinos and other game of chance exit and are well known worldwide. Almost all casinos in the Philippines are being operated and regulated by the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR). PAGCOR is a government-owned and controlled corporation and was created by Presidential Decrees A, 1067 B, 1067 C, 1399 and 1632, consolidated by Presidential Decree 1869, amended by Republic Act 9487. The law states that PAGCOR has the authority to operate and authorize, license and regulate all games of chance, games of cards and game of numbers in the country with some exceptions. Likewise it is intended to improve, promote and expand out tourism industry.
PD 1083: Code of Muslim Personal Laws of the Philippines
An integrated casino and world-class resort, City of Dreams Manila is just as exciting as its name suggests. The breathtaking casino offers all the games a player could ever need, and with plenty of top-quality restaurants on site, players are assured of a premium experience when they visit. He said PIGOs were allowed to draw players away from unregulated platforms but admitted that the industry’s rapid growth has outpaced enforcement. MANILA – Senators on Thursday pressed regulators to tighten controls and weigh an outright ban on online gambling, warning that addiction and related crimes are eroding Filipino families, communities, and values. There is a formula for calculating licensing fees when a new applicant surfaces. That formula is multiplied by the gross gaming revenue of the said establishment.
- We carefully evaluated their legal standing within the industry, the existence and validity of their compliance certifications, the quality of their software solutions, services and security profile, and their reputation within the industry.
- He said online gambling hurts poor Filipinos who have almost no salary or savings and young people who are already struggling with the cost of education as well as other vulnerable people.
- It’s not contributing anything to our society,” said Samson, a representative of PAGCOR’s employee association.
- They are legally allowed to offer their betting and gambling services to players outside of the Philippines Islands.
- It controls the gambling industry throughout the country except for the Cagayan-Freeport region.
- In 1995 they launched the first lottery in the Philippines, it was a big success and since they have set up multiple lottery games.
They are committed to continual improvement of online lottery logistics and disburse revenue to set up charity clinics across the region. This order was put into law in 1983 and set up for the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) as guidelines on how to license and regulate games of chance in the Philippines. It lists the corporate powers and operations of PAGCOR as well as any other powers, provisions and exemptions. “If big casinos say they are following regulations, that’s well and good.
– An illegal numbers game where the winning combination is derived from the last two (2) numbers of the first prize of the winning Sweepstakes ticket which comes out during the weekly draw of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO), and its variants. – Any form illegal gambling activity which uses numbers or combinations thereof as factors in giving out jackpots. It is likewise the policy of the State that the promotion of social justice shall include the commitment to create economic opportunities based on freedom of initiative and self-reliance. Online casinos use welcome bonuses to entice new players, and the rewards can be incredibly generous. The bonuses come in several forms, including no deposit bonuses, match bonuses, and free spin bonuses.