PAGCOR open to proposed new online gambling legislation
The Philippine gaming regulator has responded after two senators proposed new measures.
The Philippines.- The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) said it is open to stricter regulations after lawmakers called for new legislation against illegal gaming.
It said: “PAGCOR is duty-bound to follow any and all relevant regulations since they are passed by Congress and signed into law by the President. In the meantime, rest assured that PAGCOR remains fully committed to intensifying its efforts in the ongoing battle against the proliferation of illegal online gaming activities, together with like-minded agencies and organisations and with the support of all gaming industry stakeholders.”
Last week, former Senate president Juan Miguel Zubiri filed the ‘Anti-Online Gambling Act of 2025’ and senator Sherwin Gatchalian filed a bill that seeks to require stricter know-your-customer rules, regulate advertising and prevent e-wallets from acting as online payment platforms for online betting.
Gatchalian, who chairs the Senate Committee on Ways and Means, is the main author of Senate Bill No. 2868, which passed its third and final Senate reading in June. The bill, which would institutionalise the Philippines’ ban on offshore gaming operators, has been sent to the House of Representatives.
The proposed legislation would repeal Republic Act (RA) 11590, which legalised offshore gaming. It mandates the forfeiture of all offshore gaming-related properties and equipment to prevent their reuse in illegal operations.
