Bukidnon representative Jonathan Keith Flores is drafting legislation to restrict the use of e-wallets for online gambling in the Philippines. His proposal would prevent services such as GCash and Maya from being used on gambling apps, but Flores said he was not seeking a complete ban on online gambling.
The proposal could change how gambling operators accept payments from Philippine customers.
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PAGCOR chair and chief executive Alejandro H. Tengco said the agency's regulatory framework should adapt to changes in the gambling market at a forum in Pasay City on 17 September 2026. He said a proposal to separate PAGCOR's regulatory and operating functions is under review by the Governance Commission for GOCCs, after which it would go to the Office of the President for consideration.
PAGCOR Chairman and CEO Alejandro H. Tengco said the regulator should update its framework as the Philippine gaming industry changes, while maintaining predictable rules for licensed operators. Tengco cited a proposal to separate PAGCOR’s regulatory and operating functions, which remains under review by the Governance Commission for Government-Owned or Controlled Corporations. If that review is completed, the proposal will go to the Office of the President, which could issue an executive order if President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. finds merit in it.
PAGCOR outlined how gaming-related revenues and partnerships support healthcare, education and social development in the Philippines at the Health & Wellness Conference and Expo 2026. Speaking on behalf of PAGCOR chairman and CEO Alejandro H. Tengco, health services officer-in-charge Janice Saraza also said the regulator had partnered with the Seagulls Flock Organization to establish a 24/7 problem-gambling helpline offering confidential counselling and professional referrals.
An analysis of the Philippine land-based casino sector said licensed casino gross gaming revenue fell from Php207.5 billion in 2023 to Php182.5 billion in 2025. PAGCOR chairman and chief executive Alejandro H. Tengco warned in June that industry GGR could decline 19% in 2026, which he linked primarily to the Middle East crisis.
Reportedly, PAGCOR plans to launch an app later this year to help players in the Philippines identify licensed online gaming platforms. The app will supplement PAGCOR Guarantee, the regulator’s website for checking licences, established in 2025.