PAGCOR approves Amusnet for Philippines launch

Ziv Chen

1 May 2026 at 4:47am UTC-4

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Igaming supplier Amusnet has entered the Philippines in partnership with local operator 747Live having secured approval from the country’s gambling regulator PAGCOR.

Amusnet is listed on PAGCOR’s Electronic Gaming Licensing Department-Approved Electronic Games list, with 214 of its titles approved.

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This agreement makes 747Live Amusnet’s first operator partner in the Philippines. Local players can access Amusnet games like 100 Golden Coins: Reel Fishing, Extra Crown, and 100 Golden Coins.

Amusnet Business Development Manager Kalin Angelov said, “These are two major achievements for us: a strong PAGCOR-approved portfolio and going live with our first partner in the Philippines, 747Live – both laying the foundation for accelerated growth and a stronger market presence.”

747Live Chief Executive Enrico Menghini added, “We are very pleased to welcome Amusnet to our platform, as their reputation for premium content perfectly aligns with our mission to offer the best gaming experience in the Philippines. As Amusnet’s first partner in the region, we are excited to introduce such an extensive selection of approved titles to our audience.”

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The deal comes after PAGCOR vowed to introduce tighter restrictions for the country’s online gambling industry back in February.

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The Backstory

Context for a market opening

The Philippines is one of Asia’s fastest-evolving online gambling markets, and regulators are setting the tone. The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation, or PAGCOR, has positioned licensed igaming as a fiscal engine while leaning harder on oversight. In testimony to lawmakers, Chairman and CEO Alejandro Tengco said regulated igaming generated PHP69 billion in the first half, with e-games and online offerings together fueling the haul. He framed the sector’s value in social terms, noting billions routed to health care, classrooms, and disaster response through state programs. Yet Tengco also warned that illegal operators siphon revenue and expose consumers to risk. He cited efforts to curb unregulated play and highlighted moves by the central bank to wall off gambling from popular digital wallets. The regulator’s message blends carrot and stick: growth is welcome, but only on its terms. That stance clarifies why entry approvals and product listings matter, and why operators moving into the Philippines must track a rulebook that is both expanding and actively enforced. See PAGCOR’s remarks on igaming as a major revenue driver and the push against illegal sites.

A tightening net around online ads

Marketing rules have shifted quickly. After months of consultation, PAGCOR and the Ad Standards Council agreed to prescreen all gambling ads across media. The watchdog will review content before it reaches the public, putting gambling in the same high-scrutiny bucket as alcohol and over-the-counter drugs. PAGCOR says the pact formalizes research and talks that date back nine months. The deal follows a separate move to cut gambling spots from prime time television between 5:30 p.m. and 8 p.m., when families tend to watch together. The television curbs build on earlier bans across billboards and mass transit. For licensees, the message is clear: customer acquisition must adjust to fewer broadcast windows and more creative review. For new market entrants, prescreening reduces launch risk if campaigns are compliant but raises lead times and costs. Read more about the PAGCOR–Ad Standards Council prescreening pact and the separate ban on prime time TV gambling advertising.

Rules for the industry’s backend

PAGCOR is also moving upstream to regulate the companies behind the games. A new framework requires accreditation for gaming affiliates and support service providers that work with licensed operators. The policy captures content aggregators, payment gateways, marketing agencies, customer support shops, KYC vendors, and independent testing labs. It also reclassifies some B2B providers, renaming “gaming system service providers” as “gaming system administrators” to align with a standardized structure. Accreditation comes with application procedures, nonrefundable fees, and a performance cash deposit. This push closes gaps that let gray-market firms operate adjacent to licensees. It also gives PAGCOR greater visibility into supply chains for content and payments, two vectors regulators see as high risk. The timing reflects market momentum. PAGCOR recently reported that online gaming had generated a majority of industry revenue in the first quarter, led by e-games and e-bingo. Stricter vendor controls could institutionalize that growth while insulating it from compliance failures. Details are outlined in the new accreditation framework for affiliates and service providers.

Responsible gambling takes center stage

As the online segment scales, PAGCOR is elevating player protection. Tengco has urged regulators, operators, clinicians, and academics to coordinate on prevention and treatment of problem gambling. He highlighted exclusions for minors, students, and government workers, self-exclusion options, tighter ad rules, and links with rehabilitation programs. The regulator’s stance signals that approvals and market access come with a growing set of duty-of-care obligations. For operators, that means product design, KYC, and marketing must show safeguards in place and measurable outcomes. It also sets a public interest narrative that helps PAGCOR defend regulated igaming against persistent calls for bans. The social license to operate is now inseparable from compliance performance. More on the policy posture is in PAGCOR’s call for sectorwide collaboration to fight gambling addiction.

Political risk on the horizon

Despite the regulatory scaffolding, the industry faces a live policy debate. Some lawmakers have pushed for a total online gambling ban, and President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is considering the idea. PAGCOR has countered that it favors strict regulation over prohibition, pointing to structured ad limits and prescreening as examples of a safer market. The regulator’s balancing act seeks to preserve tax and social program funding while reducing exposure to illegal operators and addictive play. For companies planning launches or portfolio expansions, this is a binary risk that demands contingency planning. Investments in compliance, responsible gaming tech, and local partnerships may help blunt political pressure, but they do not remove it. The regulator’s recent actions suggest an attempt to build a defensible middle ground before any ban gains traction. See the latest on preclearance of ads amid calls for tougher measures, including a potential ban.

What it means for market entrants

Regulatory approvals now sit at the intersection of growth ambitions and policy scrutiny. PAGCOR’s revenue emphasis supports expansion for compliant operators, but ad restrictions, vendor accreditation, and responsible gaming expectations raise execution complexity. Payments are under pressure too, with the central bank pushing to delink gambling from e-wallets, a move that challenges onboarding and retention. For any supplier or operator stepping into the Philippines, success will hinge on early alignment with ad prescreening, a vetted vendor stack, and evidence-based safeguards for players. The upside is meaningful in a market where online revenue already leads the industry. The downside is that the policy ground is still shifting, and a ban remains a tail risk. Companies that move now are betting that PAGCOR’s path of tighter oversight will hold. They also signal confidence that a regulated channel can outcompete illegal sites on safety and reliability, which is central to the regulator’s case for keeping the market open.