Philippine gaming regulator PAGCOR has unveiled plans to launch an application that will enable online gaming players to use only licensed and regulated platforms, according to the agency’s Chairman and CEO, Alejandro H. Tengco.
The app was referenced by Tengco while speaking to members of the House Committee on Appropriations during the agency’s budget hearing earlier this week and later confirmed by PAGCOR in a media release, with launch scheduled for later this year.
Tengco said the app will make it easier for players to play exclusively in authorized gaming sites that are subject to regulatory requirements and safeguards.
“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,” he said.
The initiative comes as PAGCOR and other government agencies continue their efforts to curb illegal online gaming and encourage players to shift to regulated platforms.
“Around 50% 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 explained.
“For those who patronize online gaming, we encourage them to use the PAGCOR app. The easier it is for them to identify where they can legally play, the better we can protect them from illegal operators and the risks that come with unregulated gaming.”
PAGCOR said the new app builds on its efforts to help the public distinguish authorized gaming platforms from illegal ones. This follows the 2025 launch of the PAGCOR Guarantee page – an online verification facility that allows the public to check whether an online gaming provider is licensed or not.
The regulator is also coordinating with the Department of Information and Communications Technology, National Telecommunications Commission and Cybercrime Investigation and Coordination Center in prosecuting illegal online gaming operators, including the payment channels used by unlicensed operators.
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