PAGCOR plans December launch for app verifying licensed online gaming sites

PAGCOR plans to launch a mobile application by December 2026 that will let players check which online gaming platforms are authorised in the Philippines, the regulator said. The board of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation approved the development and implementation of the application on 8 October, together with a proposed partnership with Development Bank of the Philippines Data Center, Inc. (DCI).

Under the proposed arrangement, DCI would develop the application and handle hosting, operations, maintenance and technical support at no cost to PAGCOR. Before full-scale implementation, DCI must present a working demonstration of a minimum viable product for PAGCOR to assess and approve. The review process is expected to last six months and will cover the proposed functions, system architecture, cybersecurity measures and the overall feasibility of the project. PAGCOR reserves the right to end the collaboration if DCI does not correct any shortcomings identified during the assessment within a reasonable time.

The partnership would have an initial term of five years, renewable by written agreement between the parties. Data protection and information security are to be addressed under Philippine privacy, cybersecurity and information security law, including the Data Privacy Act of 2012. Provisions on data sharing and information protection will be included in the agreement's terms or handled through a separate data-exchange arrangement.

PAGCOR president and chief executive Alejandro H. Tengco said the platform would give players a reliable way to check which online gaming operators are authorised by PAGCOR, so that the public can make informed choices and avoid illegal operators. Alongside the application, PAGCOR said it is increasing coordination with the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) and the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordination Center (CICC) on measures against unauthorised online gaming platforms.