Banning legal online gambling hands the future to criminals; Industry calls for smarter regulation to protect Filipinos
STATEMENT FROM THE LICENSED ONLINE GAMING OPERATORS IN THE PHILIPPINES
The Philippines’ licensed online gaming operators are standing united with the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) and forward-thinking lawmakers to call for stronger regulation – not a total ban – to keep Filipino players safe and the country’s economy thriving.
As Congress debates proposals to outlaw online gaming or restrict payment channels, the country’s legal operators warn that total prohibition will not stop Filipinos from playing, but will only push tens of millions of players in the black market where unlicensed, unregulated operators thrive.
Prohibition does not erase online gaming. It only erases the safeguards that protect the Filipino people. The reality is clear: players will continue to play. The choice is whether they do so on secure, licensed platforms that follow regulations, or on black-market sites that answer to no one.
As Congress debates proposals to outlaw online gaming or restrict payment channels, the country’s legal operators warn that total prohibition will not stop Filipinos from playing, but will only push tens of millions of players in the black market where unlicensed, unregulated operators thrive.
Prohibition does not erase online gaming. It only erases the safeguards that protect the Filipino people. The reality is clear: players will continue to play. The choice is whether they do so on secure, licensed platforms that follow regulations, or on black-market sites that answer to no one.
Real safeguards are already in place
The licensed online gaming sector in the Philippines already enforces some of the strictest protections in Asia:
- Enforce strict Know-Your-Customer (KYC) and multi-factor authentication
- Check players against PAGCOR’s National Database of Restricted Persons
- Require that all players are 21 or older
- Provide self-exclusion tools and real-time monitoring for at-risk behavior
- Follow advertising restrictions that prohibit predatory claims
- Contribute to national revenue, job creation, and technology development
Global lessons, local realities
The industry points to global lessons that prove bans backfire. Out of 195 countries worldwide, 177 choose to regulate online gaming. Only 18 nations, including North Korea, Iran, and Somalia, maintain total bans, and none have succeeded in eradicating underground gaming. In the United States, a 2006 federal ban simply drove American players to unregulated offshore sites. By 2013, the U.S. moved to legalize online gaming again to regain control, generating over US$ 71.9 billion in revenues and more than US$ 15 billion in taxes. Sweden, Brazil, Colombia, and Argentina have all seen the same: that a prohibition fuels crime; regulation reclaims it.
The case for the Philippines
At home, the numbers tell a similar story. Since regulated online gaming expanded in 2022, PAGCOR’s license fee collections alone have soared from ₱12.3 billion to ₱54 billion in 2024, directly funding national projects that benefit every Filipino. PAGCOR’s total revenues hit ₱112 billion last year, with online gaming driving nearly half of that. Over 50,000 Filipinos now work in the sector, many in high-value roles in technology, cybersecurity, creative design, and artificial intelligence.
The country’s licensed operators warn that a reckless ban, or cutting off legitimate payment channels, would destroy this progress overnight, wiping out thousands of jobs and handing the entire market to illegal sites. In these unregulated spaces, players lose all protections: no age checks, no data security, no support for problem gambling, and no contribution to the national economy.
A call for balanced, intelligent regulation
Rather than bans that simply push players into the shadows, the industry is urging lawmakers to strengthen what already works: tighter age and identity verification, clear limits for at-risk players, stronger anti-money laundering safeguards, faster site takedowns for illegal operators, and expanded public education on player rights and responsible play.
Let’s be clear: the real enemy is not regulated gaming. It is the rise of illegal operators who put profits over Filipino welfare. Legal operators do not fear tougher rules, they welcome them. What they fear is surrendering our digital future to the black market.
As ASEAN neighbors like Singapore, Malaysia, and Vietnam modernize their own gaming regulations to attract investment and protect players, the Philippines risks falling behind if fear-driven bans dismantle an industry that has proven it can grow jobs, strengthen technology, and raise billions in revenue under proper oversight. Regulators are urged: don’t hand this industry to criminals. Keep it legal, keep it safe, and keep it proudly Filipino.
The country’s licensed online gaming operators reaffirm their commitment to work hand-in-hand with government, regulators, and communities to ensure online gaming remains secure, transparent, and a source of real national benefit.
SIGNED BY LICENSED ONLINE GAMING OPERATORS IN THE PHILIPPINES:
1. World Platinum Technologies Inc
2. AB Leisure Exponent, Inc.
3. Total Gamezone Xtreme, Inc.
4. Gamemaster Integrated, Inc.
5. Lucky Taya Gaming Corp.
6. Stotsenberg Leisure Park & Hotel Corporation
7. Igo Digital High Technology Inc.
8. Megabet Corp.
9. Gavin Ventures Inc.
10. Gotech Entertainment Inc.
11. Meta Interactive Software Solutions, Inc.
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