PACGOR Targets iGaming Ads, Payments and KYC in Gambling Reforms

Philippines online casinos may be subject to stricter iGaming legislation, as the gaming regulator, PACGOR, looks to close in on KYC requirements and iGaming ads. This year, the regulator has already shut down roadside billboard ads, and made it illegal for gambling ads to be displayed on taxis, trains and buses. But now the efforts are focusing on bringing in an outright ban on all online gambling platforms. They have scrapped the long-term industry nomenclature – calling the activity “gaming”, and now want to refer to it as “gambling”.

Enhancing the security and Know Your Customer requirements, they want to crack down on duplicated accounts and ensure prominent gambling protections. Beyond that, there may also be overhauls in the taxation and fees on iGaming activities. Stronger enforcement is coming in 2026, as the Philippines revises and tightens its regulations on iGaming.

Philippines iGaming Legislation Fixes

The Philippines is one of the biggest gambling hubs in Asia, and its gambling regulator has licensed over 60 iGaming platforms. It is one of the few Asian countries to have both landbased casinos and legal online casinos. Until 2024, it was also a top spot for offshore Asian iGaming operators, as they could obtain POGO (Philippine Offshore Gaming Operations) licenses and service gamers in Asian countries that accepted these. But the program was closed in 2024, as most companies were Chinese and catered to Chinese players – where gambling is strictly illegal. Coming back to the present day, the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp has turned its attention to the local iGaming sector, and is now looking to modernize its legislation.

PACGOR reps attended the 2026 ICE Barcelona conference, where they highlighted the main points of the reform. Chairman and CEO Alejandro Tengco cited the controversial POGO program, using it as a point of reference to talk about how the regulations must change as new risks and threats emerge.

“As PAGCOR transitions toward a purely regulatory role, our focus is to set clear rules, enforce them consistently, and create a gaming ecosystem that is fair, competitive, and resilient”

The proposed changes would impact KYC standards, introduce mandatory responsible gambling tools, and control the gambling ad exposure to make sure it doesn’t reach minors or vulnerable groups.

Cries for a Total Ad Ban

Perhaps the most controversial is the total ban on gambling ads. Marketing and advertising are two of the biggest concerns of the regulator, and they have already blocked gambling operators from advertising during primetime TV hours and using public transport vehicles to display ads. Lawmakers want to take further steps, creating a near-total ban on iGaming ads across digital platforms. That would mean, no more social media gambling promotions, shared gambling activities via messaging apps or social media feeds, and also the end of the influencer/content creator market for gambling.

For the licensed operators, this would threaten their industry monumentously. Smaller and independent brands will suffer greatly, as they would lose out to brands with greater visibility and a more established reputation in the Philippine iGaming sector. But those top operators argue that by losing advertising to bring in new players, it could undermine their operations and possibly lead to losing customers to the black market.

Bringing Back Unlinked Mobile Payment Options

Just last year, PACGOR pressured the Philippines Central Bank to unlink mobile eWallets such as GCash and Maya from known iGaming sites. The idea was to block users from directly depositing into their online casino gaming accounts, something that was seen as a key driver of iGaming growth. It did work, with operators like BingoPlus and GameZone reporting year-on-year decreases in their revenue, something that Alejandro Tengco took note of. But this can also drive users towards the black market, which prompted PACGOR to rethink this strategy.

Instead of cutting gamers off from seamless mobile deposits and withdrawals, they are now thinking of bringing back a few of the payment channels with in-app links to online casinos. However, they would limit these potential links, imposing stricter deposit caps and potentially having additional verification steps to curb fraudulent activity.

KYC and ID Verification

Because the fraud across licensed sites is extremely high, according to Tengco. At a committee hearing, he stated that while there are 32 million users on PACGOR licensed sites, these are owned by around 10 million people. Regular gamblers can register more than one account, which the regulator reckons could lead to impulsive betting and gambling addiction. The resulting KYC protocol tweaks would make it impossible for players to bypass or cheat the ID verification protocols.

In addition to submitting a name and contact info, PACGOR wants to make it mandatory to upload pictures of government ID cards, and also use biometric verification. That is, forcing users to make selfies in real time. And that won’t be limited to account registration, but they are planning to introduce real time selfies as an additional verification for when users want to deposit.

Previous Changes to Philippine iGaming Legislation

These changes are not really a sudden crackdown, not by any measure. The Philippines has actively tightened its regulations in the past few years, trying to create a safer environment for players while maintaining its competitive gambling sector. Considering the majority of Southeast Asian, and Asian nations in general, don’t have legalized online gambling, the Philippines is seen as one of the leading jurisdictions in this field. In Cina, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore, igaming is illegal – although Singapore has landbased casinos, and China has landbased casinos in Macau, but on the mainland, they are explicitly forbidden.

Besides the Philippines, India has perhaps the largest iGaming presence on the continent. However, India has also enforced stricter iGaming laws, and with the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act 2025, India banned real money online games. Though this is still contentious, and the laws may change based on what constitutes a game of chance – and what is skill based.

Purging POGOs to Polishing PIGOs

One of the biggest changes in Philippine iGaming policy was the closing of the POGO program. It was a point of conflict between the Philippines and China, as many underground Chinese operators were using the offshore iGaming license program, and catering their services to Chinese gamers.

With the issuance of Executive Order No. 74, the Philippine offshore gaming operators were shut down, and their licenses were cancelled as of December 15, 2024. Since then, there have still been arrests and investigations into operators who continued their activities.

Since then, the Philippines has moved on from POGOs, and is now looking at its policy on PIGOs (Philippine Inland Gaming Operators).

Regulating B2B iGaming Providers

Another important reform that was brought last year was PACGOR extending its iGaming oversight to include B2B solutions providers. Instead of just licensing online casinos and setting a framework for them, PACGOR now has the authority to regulate B2B companies. That includes online casino game providers, tech and data solutions providers for online casinos, third party payment processors, and marketing affiliates.

This gives them the full scope of the iGaming ecosystem, and ensures PACGOR can close its doors to noncompliant parties. It also means the compliance checks and audits run deeper, analyzing the technology, games, and payment services offered at online casinos.

What to Expect Going Forward

While the reforms are not going to go down well with operators, and players may share some of those frustrations, PACGOR has run one of the few successful iGaming industries in the region. It has no precedents to go off, and still manages to create an online gambling industry where other Asian and Southeast Asian countries dare not. The challenge here is to introduce effective legislation without losing players or forcing out operators en masse.

For operators, the message is clear: adapt to a harsher regulatory environment, or risk being pushed out of one of Southeast Asia’s most important iGaming markets. For players, it is another set of reforms that are made to protect the overall public health, without alienating the needs of individual gamers. Getting mobile payments back is a solid win, but the tradeoff is heightened KYC checks and possibly deposit caps. But as the industry moves forward, the Philippines continues to be a leading iGaming presence in Asia.