History, Regulations & Trends of Casino in the Philippines

online casino Philippines
History, Regulations & Trends of Casino in the Philippines

If you are an online casino fan in the Philippines, there are things you need to know about online casino Philippines, its history, regulations and trends over time. This post reveals as much data as possible to arm you with relevant information to help you gamble safely and per legal regulations in the Philippines. 

The History of Legal Casino Gambling in the Philippines

Legal casino gambling in the Philippines is still a relatively new phenomenon compared to countries like the UK and US. The first-ever legal land-based casino in the Philippines was established 45 years ago in 1977.

This casino was owned by the Philippines Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) and opened its doors for business at the famous Manila Bay. The legalisation of casino gambling in the Philippines was instigated in 1976 by the then president – Ferdinando Marcosa.

This year, the government-controlled PAGCOR was established by Presidential Decree No. 1602.

By 1983, the PAGCOR would be granted the sole regulatory powers on all forms of casino gambling, including iGaming in the Philippines. Over the years, the government of the Philippines have enacted laws governing the licensing, supervision, regulation, and penalisation of casinos in the country.

Regulation of Casinos in the Philippines

The Presidential Decree No. 1602 of 1976 led to the formation of the PAGCOR and gave it powers to license prospective land-based casinos in the Philippines. However, this Decree has been amended over the years to extend the regulatory powers of the PAGCOR to the iGaming industry.

Today, the PAGCOR is responsible for regulating the activities of e-cafes, game rooms, and all online casinos operating in the Philippines. Those casinos not under the control of PAGCOR are regulated by Cagayan, which is described as a “special economic zone”.

To further strengthen the powers of the PAGCOR, the Philippines government outlined the casino gambling regulatory duties of the PAGCOR for up to three decades in 2007. The PAGCOR enforces all laws concerning legal casino gambling in the Philippines. One of such laws is the legal gambling age which is set at 21 years.

In addition to the Presidential Decree No.1602 of 1976, the Republic Act No. 9287 is an amendment to Decree No. 1602 and spells out the penalties for participation in illegal numbers games.

Casino Gambling in the Philippines

The Philippines comprises many islands and is home to some of the biggest and most populated cities in Asia. However, if you travel to Manila, the capital city of the Philippines, you will find the largest number of legal brick-and-mortar casinos. The doors of these casinos are open around the clock from Monday to Sunday.

While at these land-based, you can get to play a host of famous slot machines. In addition to this, you will get to play different table games, including Sic Bo, Pai-Gow, Roulette, Baccarat, Poker, and Blackjack. You also get to play several speciality games like Bingo and dice games.

Apart from Manila, some of the other cities where you can find top land-based casinos include (in alphabetical order); Angeles City, Bacolod City, Cebu City, Clark Freeport, Davao City, Laoag City, Lapu-Lapu, Metro Manila, Olongapo, Pampanga, Paranaque, Pasay, Rizal, Tagaytay, and Tambo.

Online Casino Philippines

The regulations of online casino gambling are split between the PAGCOR and Cagayan. The Cagayan Economic Zone regulates iGaming for foreign punters, while the PAGCOR regulates internet casino gaming in every other territory in the Philippines. In PAGCOR regulated areas, iGaming players are restricted to specialised gaming zones such as game rooms, e-cafes or PEG.

In the Philippines, you have more than 200 e-cafes spread across the country. Typically, online casino gambling in Philippine homes or any other vicinity other than registered e-cafes is considered illegal. The PhilWeb Corporation and PAGCOR are responsible for the supervision and regulation of all online casinos operating in the Philippines. For legit online casino Philippines can explore more at Mega Casino World, which have up to 10 casinos.

Casino Tourism a Growing Trend in the Philippines

Casino tourism is a fast-growing trend in the Philippines. Whether you are down with a night out with family and friends at a land-based casino in Manila, or you prefer joining poker rooms at an e-cafe, the Philippines is a hotbed for casino gambling enthusiasts from around the world.

The growth rate of the Philippines hospitality sector has skyrocketed specifically because this tourism brand brings in lots of hard currency into the country. Many tourists from parts of Asia, Europe, Oceania, and America are known to throng by their thousands into the Philippines every year.

Tourists from China and Korea are known to be chief contributors to revenue in the iGaming industry in the Philippines. Today, there is a rise in collaborations between casinos and guest houses or hotels in the country. This drive has made the iGaming industry in the Philippines one of the fastest-growing markets in Southeast Asia.

The Major Players in the Philippines Casino Landscape

Some of the major land-based and online casinos in the Philippines include:

  • The Philippines Amusement and Gaming Corporation or PAGCOR is government-owned and acts as an appointed casino regulatory and licensing body.
  • City of Dreams Manila (CODM)
  • Resorts World Manila (RWM)
  • Solaire (BLOOM)

Other top online casino Philippines vendors operating under PAGCOR and Cagayan Economic Zone include:

  • Casino Filipino Binondo
  • Casino Filipino Citystate
  • Casino Filipino Malabon
  • Casino Filipino Santa Cruz
  • Casino Filipino Universal
  • Club Tropicana Las Piñas
  • Club Tropicana Santa Mesa
  • Empire Poker Sports Club
  • Lancaster Hotel, Madison Square Garden Hotel & Casino
  • Manila Grand Opera Hotel and Casino
  • Master Poker Sports Club
  • Metro Card Club
  • Midas Hotel & Casino
  • Midas Touch Poker Sports Club
  • Networld Hotel Spa & Casino
  • New World Manila Bay Hotel & Casino
  • Sofitel Philippine Plaza Hotel and Waterfront Manila Pavilion Hotel & Casino.

In Conclusion

About 50% of revenue generated from online casino Philippines is believed to be contributed by VIP players. VIP players are those punters who are more concerned about the fun factor derived from casino gaming rather than their return on investment (ROI), so they stake enormous amounts. You can explore one of the best and trusted online casino in Philippines at Mega Casino World. The casino games widely played in the Philippines include Poker, Craps, Roulette, Blackjack, and slot machines. However, of all these games, Poker seems to be the one casino game that is most commonly played in the country. Punters love to play Omaha high-low poker, HORSE poker, and Pai Gow Poker.


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