The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) said on Monday, October 19, 2026, that it is targeting a December launch for a new mobile app designed to help players identify licensed online gaming platforms1. The regulator said its Board of Directors approved the app's development and implementation on October 81.
PAGCOR said the app will strengthen its efforts to protect the public from illegal online gambling by providing greater clarity around which sites are licensed1. Chairman and CEO Alejandro H. Tengco said:
"This platform will give players a reliable way to verify which online gaming platforms are licensed by PAGCOR. We want the public to make informed choices and avoid falling prey to illegal operators."
The board approval covers a proposed partnership with the Development Bank of the Philippines Data Center, Inc (DCI) to develop, operate and maintain the platform, subject to applicable laws and regulations1. DCI will handle development, hosting, operation, maintenance and technical support at no cost to PAGCOR, the regulator said1.
Before full-scale implementation, DCI must present a proof of concept for the app's minimum viable product for PAGCOR's evaluation and acceptance1. The six-month assessment will cover proposed features, system architecture, security controls and overall feasibility, and PAGCOR may terminate the arrangement if DCI fails to address deficiencies identified during the evaluation period within a reasonable time1. The partnership will require compliance with data privacy, cybersecurity and information security laws, including the Data Privacy Act of 2012, with data sharing and information security provisions either in the terms or covered by a separate data-sharing agreement1.
PAGCOR is also coordinating with the Department of Information and Communications Technology, the National Telecommunications Commission and the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordination Center on efforts against illegal online gambling operators1. The app follows an order by the central bank of the Philippines last year requiring all e-wallet providers to unlink from online gambling platforms, a move designed to increase player protections but criticized for achieving the opposite by removing user visibility of licensed sites1. PAGCOR had previously said at September's IAG EXPO in Manila that the app would launch in the fourth quarter of the year1.
What it means for players
The app is intended as a state-run way to confirm whether a platform is licensed by PAGCOR before registering or depositing1. Until it launches, no verification tool from the regulator is available, and the sources do not say how the app will be distributed, whether it will be free to users, or which platforms will appear in it. The sources also do not state how often the underlying list of licensed operators will be updated.
The e-wallet unlink order described in the source removed a channel through which players previously saw licensed sites, and the app is presented as a response to that information gap1. For locals, expats and visitors in the Philippines, the practical effect depends on adoption: a verification tool changes behavior only if players know it exists and use it before depositing1. PAGCOR has estimated that illegal or unregistered online gaming platforms account for about half the market1. Background on how licensing checks work is set out in How to Check if a Casino Is Licensed and Licensed vs Unlicensed Online Casino: How Risk Differs, with country detail in Gambling in the Philippines and PAGCOR-Licensed Online Casinos.
What happens next
PAGCOR is targeting a December launch1. Before full-scale implementation, DCI must present a proof of concept for PAGCOR's evaluation and acceptance, with a six-month assessment covering features, system architecture, security controls and feasibility1. PAGCOR may terminate the arrangement if deficiencies identified during that period are not addressed within a reasonable time1. No specific December date has been reported.
