The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (PAGCOR) will ban Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGOs) after December 31, its chairman Alejandro Tengco said, reiterating that the prohibition will take effect with no exceptions1. Tengco also said PAGCOR is preparing to sell the 43 casinos it manages, a privatization he aims to complete by 20261.
"Tengco reiterated that there are no ifs or buts on the banning of POGOs after Dec. 31."
Tengco said the POGO exit is not a major financial loss. When he became PAGCOR chairman there were 298 POGO licensees and service providers, a number he reduced to 41, while revenue from the segment nearly doubled to P5 billion from P2.9 billion1. Offshore gaming contributed P34.28 billion, or 11.43 percent, of the P299.83 billion in gross gaming revenue the Philippine industry recorded from January to September1.
The larger revenue shares came from licensed casinos and integrated resorts at P149.89 billion, or 49.99 percent, and other licensees including e-bingo, e-games and bingo grantees at P103.11 billion, or 34.39 percent. PAGCOR-operated casinos generated P12.53 billion, just 4.18 percent of industry GGR1.
| Segment, January to September | GGR | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Licensed casinos and integrated resorts | P149.89 billion | 49.99% |
| Other licensees (e-bingo, e-games, bingo grantees) | P103.11 billion | 34.39% |
| Offshore gaming (POGOs) | P34.28 billion | 11.43% |
| PAGCOR-operated casinos | P12.53 billion | 4.18% |
On privatization, Tengco said he has formed a committee to draft a bill for Congress, since the PAGCOR charter must be amended for the sale to proceed, including an extension of its franchise1. The sale of PAGCOR's casinos is expected to generate no less than P80 billion, after which PAGCOR would become a purely regulatory body1. Tengco said PAGCOR recorded record third-quarter 2024 total revenue of P79.43 billion, 41.97 percent higher than the P55.95 billion recorded a year earlier1.
What it means for players
The POGO ban concerns offshore operators that served customers outside the Philippines, not the land-based casinos, integrated resorts and e-games that generate most of the industry's revenue1. Players using POGO-branded offshore sites face the end of that licensed segment after December 31, while domestic licensed casinos, integrated resorts and electronic gaming remain in operation under PAGCOR1. The status of individual offshore operators after the deadline, and how existing customer accounts or balances would be handled, has not been reported.
What happens next
PAGCOR's privatization requires amendments to its charter, which only Congress can pass. Tengco said a committee has been formed to work on a proposed bill, and that he has started the process to ensure the privatization of Casino Filipino by 20261. The last effort in Congress to privatize PAGCOR was SB 1471, sponsored by Sen. Panfilo Lacson1. No date has been reported for when the bill will be filed or voted on.
For more detail, see The Philippines' Ban on Offshore Gaming (POGOs), Can I Gamble in the Philippines? and Online Gambling in Asia: The Law for Players in 12 Jurisdictions.
Sources1 sources
- Privatizing Pagcor | Philstar.com, philstar.com
