Philippine gaming regulator calls for stricter iGaming rules, not an outright ban

As Filipino lawmakers propose bills that might ban online gambling in the country, Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) chairman Alejandro Tengco urged stricter iGaming rules instead.

During the Light & Wonder iGaming Symposium at Newport World Resorts in Pasay City, Tengco expressed his views against the idea of banning online gaming in the Philippines, believing that it could force Filipino bettors to deal with illegal operators.

“We support stricter regulations to protect our people, but we are against a total ban, which will only drive players to illegal operators and result in loss of revenues and jobs," Tengco said.

Tengco also iterated the reforms that the government-owned corporation under his helm is currently working on, such as divesting their own casino assets to become a pure regulator, more robust tools for monitoring players, and even a 24/7 gambling helpline.

Tengo made his statement amidst the recent bills proposed in the Philippine Senate and Congress. In the Senate, Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri filed a bill to ban online gambling, describing it as a silent epidemic that also targets the youth and those at risk of gambling addiction.

Meanwhile, Akbayan party-list representative Chel Diokno called for a bill that limits access to online gambling by imposing a 10% tax on iGaming operators, forbidding most iGaming ads, and banning the use of e-wallets for funding online bets.

Despite all the controversies surrounding the iGaming industry in the Philippines, the event where Tengco gave his speech is organized by Light & Wonder, the nation’s first PAGCOR-accredited iGaming content supplier, which is set to launch 50 online titles soon.

The Philippines is among the biggest hubs for gambling at the moment, and Daily Tribune reported that the industry’s growth brought $1.2 billion worth of revenues to PAGCOR in the first half of 2025.

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