PAGCOR and Ad Standards Council sign MOU on gambling advertising pre-screening

The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation and the Ad Standards Council formalized a partnership on July 16, 2025 to strengthen the regulation and pre-screening of gambling-related advertisements in the country¹. Under the agreement, all gambling-related advertisements across television, radio, digital, print and outdoor platforms must undergo ASC review and approval before public release¹.

PAGCOR described the arrangement as covering branded or corporate gambling advertising, and said the partnership is meant to tighten oversight of how gambling is promoted¹. The regulator's annual report states:

The report does not state the review timeline, the fees involved, the penalties for running unreviewed advertising, or whether the ASC can reject or require changes to submitted material. Those details have not been reported¹.

The MOU sits alongside other PAGCOR measures in 2025.

• The regulator cut its fee rate for Electronic Casino Games from 35% to 30% effective January 1, 2025, with integrated resort operators lowered further to 22%¹.
• It launched a "PAGCOR Guarantee" website on June 18 where the public can check the legitimacy of online gaming providers, and an Online Self-Exclusion Application on October 1¹.
• The PAGCOR Board of Directors approved a revised responsible gaming tagline on July 17, 2025, changing it from "Game Responsibly, Keep It Fun" to "Gambling Can be Addictive, Know When To Stop"¹.

PAGCOR reported total revenues of Php106.03 billion in 2025, a 5.09% decline from Php111.71 billion in 2024, which it attributed to weaker land-based earnings, stricter online gaming controls, tighter payment regulations and enhanced oversight¹. The Philippines was removed from the Financial Action Task Force gray list in February 2025¹.

What it means for players

Gambling advertising in the Philippines now passes through a second set of eyes before it reaches the public. For players, the practical effect is on what they see and hear rather than on what they can play: promotions, brand campaigns and corporate messaging for licensed operators are screened by the ASC before release¹. The change does not alter licensing requirements, game rules, payout terms or tax on winnings, none of which the report links to the MOU¹.

Players who judge an operator by its advertising should note that ASC approval covers the content of an advertisement, not the legitimacy of the operator behind it. PAGCOR's separate PAGCOR Guarantee website, launched June 18, is the channel the regulator names for checking whether an online gaming provider is legitimate¹. For background on who licenses what in the country, see the guide to gambling regulators and licenses in Asia and can I gamble in the Philippines.

What happens next

The report gives no implementation schedule for the MOU beyond the July 16, 2025 signing, and no date for when pre-screening began or when the first advertisements were reviewed¹. PAGCOR's stated 2026 plans include a 25-year lease agreement signed in December 2024 covering its 13-hectare Nayong Pilipino property, under which it is building a permanent home¹.