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Key facts (as of 29 October 2026)
- Market size: Philippine gross gaming revenue was ₱396.14bn in 2025, up 6.39% from ₱372.33bn in 2024. Electronic and online gaming produced ₱201.12bn, up 30.04%, and PAGCOR said e-games and online gaming accounted for 50.77% of total GGR. PAGCOR also noted a temporary third-quarter slump after e-wallets were de-linked (PAGCOR, 16 April 2026).
- E-wallet order: BSP Memorandum M-2025-029, issued after Monetary Board Resolution 805 of 14 August 2025, told all BSP-supervised institutions to remove links providing in-app gambling access, including anything that redirects an account holder to a gambling site, within 48 hours, pending a fuller policy. GCash and Maya disabled their gaming features at 8 pm on 16 August 2025 (BSP; Inquirer).
- PAGCOR and BSP alignment: on 21 May 2026 PAGCOR's board approved amendments, announced on 26 May, so that BSP-supervised financial institutions accredited as payment gateway or payment channel providers are governed by AMLC rules for their BSP business, with BSP reporting non-compliance to PAGCOR's AML department (PAGCOR).
- Gateways: 15M reported on 15 October 2026 that two of three companies on PAGCOR's payment gateway register were not yet operating as of 17 September.
- Legislation: nine Senate bills to ban or regulate online gambling were listed as pending in the Games and Amusement committee in a catalogue captured from official Senate listings on 2 October 2026 (BatasWatch). None had become law by that date; check current status.
The regulators
| Body | Role |
|---|---|
| PAGCOR (Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation) | Operates and licenses gaming under its charter (EO 74 recitals); accredits gaming affiliates and support service providers, including payment gateways and channels |
| BSP (Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas) | Licenses and supervises banks, digital banks, non-bank financial institutions and e-money issuers (PAGCOR memo definition of BSFIs) |
| AMLC (Anti-Money Laundering Council) | Anti-money-laundering rules; under PAGCOR's May 2026 amendments, BSFI gateways follow AMLC rules for their BSP business |
What changed in August 2025
Before August 2025, GCash and Maya users could reach gaming sites through in-app features (GCash's "GLife", Maya's "Games"). The BSP memorandum ended that (Inquirer). Maya told users to withdraw linked gaming funds before the cut-off; remaining balances had to be accessed directly through the gaming provider (Inquirer).
NoteThe BSP order removed in-app links and redirects. It did not by itself ban payments to licensed operators. Check current BSP rules and each wallet's policy before designing a payment flow.
PAGCOR's payment gateway framework
PAGCOR accredits "Payment Gateway Solution" and "Payment Channel" providers as support service providers. The May 2026 amendments:
| Change | Effect |
|---|---|
| New definition of BSP-supervised financial institutions (BSFIs) | Banks, digital banks, non-bank FIs and EMIs |
| AML oversight | BSFIs accredited as providers follow AMLC rules for their BSP activities; BSP reports non-compliance to PAGCOR's AML department (PASED) |
| Documents | BSFIs submit valid BSP licences instead of PAGCOR's probity checks |
| Suspension or cancellation | Coordinated with the BSP for BSFIs |
| Link feature | Requirement for payment channels to redirect players to operator registration removed |
Source: PAGCOR memorandum, 26 May 2026.
Payment flow for a licensed operator
flowchart LR
P[Player in the Philippines] --> R[Registers on licensed operator site]
R --> K[KYC and age checks]
K --> D[Deposit via PAGCOR-accredited gateway or channel]
D --> BSFI[BSP-licensed bank or EMI]
BSFI --> OP[Operator account]
OP --> W[Withdrawal to player's own account]Risks for PSPs
| Risk | Detail |
|---|---|
| Policy shock | The August 2025 order took effect within 48 hours |
| Few live gateways | 15M reported most registered gateways were not yet operating in September 2026 |
| Legislative change | Bills to restrict or ban online gambling could change the market |
| Dual supervision | PAGCOR accreditation plus BSP licensing and AMLC rules |
| Offshore history | Executive Order 74 (5 November 2024) banned offshore gaming operators (POGOs/IGLs) and required licensed ones to cease by 31 December 2024; its recitals cite AMLC findings on money-laundering risk |
WarningEO 74 classifies offshore gaming operators without a licence as illegal gambling entities, and bills pending in the Senate would go further. Stablecoins or other rails do not change a site's legal status. Serve the market only through licensed operators and accredited, BSP-licensed providers.
Illustrative example: a gateway's onboarding pack
Illustrative example. The provider is invented.
A Philippine EMI wants to process deposits for two licensed operators. It applies to PAGCOR as a payment gateway, submitting its BSP licence in place of a third-party probity report, as the May 2026 amendments allow, plus the other documents PAGCOR's framework requires. Its AML programme already follows AMLC rules. It maps how it will handle the in-app link restriction, refunds and withdrawals to players' own accounts, and how it will report suspicious transactions.
Timeline
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 22 Jul 2024 | Ban on offshore gaming operators pronounced in the State of the Nation Address (EO 74 recital) |
| 5 Nov 2024 | Executive Order 74 signed |
| 31 Dec 2024 | Deadline for licensed offshore gaming operators to cease (EO 74, s.2(d)) |
| 14 Aug 2025 | Monetary Board Resolution 805; BSP M-2025-029 orders removal of gambling links within 48 hours |
| 16 Aug 2025 | GCash and Maya disable gaming features at 8 pm |
| 21 May 2026 | PAGCOR board approves amendments aligning with BSP supervision |
| 26 May 2026 | PAGCOR memorandum issued |
| 17 Sep 2026 | Two of three registered gateways not yet operating (15M) |
| 2 Oct 2026 | Nine online gambling bills pending in Senate committee (BatasWatch) |
Q/A
Is online gambling legal in the Philippines?
PAGCOR-licensed online gaming was still operating and reporting revenue (PAGCOR, April 2026), and the Senate ban bills were still in committee as of 2 October 2026 (BatasWatch).
Can players still use e-wallets?
In-app links and redirects were removed. Whether a wallet can be used as a funding source depends on BSP rules and each provider's policy.
Do payment gateways need PAGCOR accreditation?
Payment gateway and payment channel providers serving licensed operators are accredited by PAGCOR as support service providers.
Who supervises AML for bank gateways?
The AMLC rules apply; the BSP reports non-compliance to PAGCOR's AML department.
Is crypto allowed for deposits?
Check the operator's licence conditions and BSP rules on virtual asset service providers. See Crypto under gambling licences.
How big is online gaming in the Philippines?
₱201.12bn of GGR in 2025, about half the total (PAGCOR).
Sources
- PAGCOR, PH gross gaming revenues up 6.39% to ₱396.14bn in 2025: https://www.pagcor.ph/headlines/ph-gross-gaming-revenues-up-6.39percent-to-php396.14b-in-2025.html
- PAGCOR, memorandum on amendments to the existing regulatory frameworks (26 May 2026): https://www.pagcor.ph/regulatory/pdf/announcements/Memorandum-on-Amendments-to-the-Existing-Regulatory-Frameworks.pdf
- PAGCOR, list of accredited support service providers: https://www.pagcor.ph/regulatory/pdf/App%20Kits/List-of-PAGCOR-Accredited-Support-Service-Providers.pdf
- BSP, Memorandum M-2025-029: https://www.bsp.gov.ph/Regulations/Issuances/2025/M-2025-029.pdf
- Philippine Daily Inquirer, Maya to stop access to gaming (August 2025): https://business.inquirer.net/541649/maya-to-stop-access-to-gaming-at-8-pm-users-advised-to-withdraw-funds
- 15M, payments and fintech news (15 October 2026): https://15m.com/news/payments-fintech/
- Executive Order 74 (5 November 2024), Lawphil text: https://lawphil.net/executive/execord/eo2024/eo_74_2024.html
- BatasWatch, Senate Games and Amusement committee bills (captured 2 October 2026 from official listings): https://bills.juris.ph/committees/senate/games-and-amusement
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