PAGCOR targets December launch for app to help players identify licensed online gaming platforms

The platform will let users verify licensed operators, with development subject to a six-month assessment.

Key takeaways:

• PAGCOR is targeting a December 2026 launch for an app for identifying licensed online gaming platforms. The app aims to help players distinguish PAGCOR-licensed operators from unauthorised gambling sites.
• Development Bank of the Philippines Data Center, Inc. will provide development, hosting, maintenance, and technical support at no cost to PAGCOR.
• A six-month assessment will evaluate the app’s features, architecture, security, and feasibility before full-scale implementation.

The Philippines.- The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) has announced that it’s targeting December 2026 for the launch of a mobile application intended to help players identify licensed online gaming platforms. Alejandro H. Tengco, PAGCOR chairman and CEO, said the app will make it easier for players to distinguish legitimate operators from unauthorised ones, strengthening the agency’s efforts to protect the public from illegal online gambling.

The PAGCOR Board of Directors approved the app’s development and implementation on October 8, including a proposed partnership with Development Bank of the Philippines Data Center, Inc. (DCI) to develop, operate, and maintain the platform. DCI will handle the app’s development, hosting, operation, maintenance, and technical support at no cost to PAGCOR.

Before full-scale implementation, it must present a proof of concept for the app’s minimum viable product for PAGCOR’s evaluation and acceptance. The six-month assessment will cover the platform’s proposed features, system architecture, security controls, and overall feasibility. PAGCOR may terminate the arrangement if DCI fails to address deficiencies identified during the evaluation period within a reasonable time.

The partnership will require compliance with applicable data privacy, cybersecurity, and information security laws, including the Data Privacy Act of 2012. Data sharing and information security provisions will be incorporated in the terms or will be covered by a separate data-sharing agreement. The partnership between PAGCOR and DCI will run for five years and may be renewed upon mutual written agreement.

“This platform will give players a reliable way to verify which online gaming platforms are licensed by PAGCOR. We want the public to make informed choices and avoid falling prey to illegal operators,” Tengco said.