PAGCOR clarifies that an estimated 10 million Filipinos gamble online

Abi Bray

12 February 2026 at 5:43am UTC-5

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PAGCOR Chairman and Chief Executive Alejandro Tengco has clarified a government figure claiming that more than 32 million adult Filipinos gambled online in 2025, saying the true figure is nearer 10 million.

Speaking during a Senate Committee on Games and Amusement hearing, Tengco responded to Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian citing the data suggesting that there were more than 32 million adults gambling online in the country in 2025.

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According to Inquirer.net, Tengco said, “Just a clarification on the numbers earlier, the 32 million are only registered users, but the active players are around 10 million.”

He explained that the 32.1 million total referred to registered accounts, not unique active users. One individual could hold several accounts across different operators.

“That is the sickness of the player, or the gambler: They will participate in different operators because, as you know, when they get lucky there, they will stick to it, but when they get unlucky, they will transfer from one to the other,” Tengco added.

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He said that each of the roughly 10 million active users spent an average of at least PHP4,000 (US$69)1 PHP = 0.0172 USD
2026-02-12Powered by CMG CurrenShift, but did not specify the period covered.

The Chairman told lawmakers that legal online gambling platforms accounted for an estimated 55% to 60% of the total market. He noted that PAGCOR’s oversight extended only to licensed operators, meaning the 10 million figure covered users on regulated platforms

PAGCOR recently pledged to roll out tighter restrictions on the country’s online gambling industry, including further advertising restrictions and identity verification.

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The Backstory

Why the numbers matter now

Philippine gambling regulator PAGCOR is under mounting pressure to reconcile a fast-growing digital market with calls for tighter controls. The debate burst into view in recent Senate hearings, where lawmakers pressed the agency to explain the scale of online play and the reach of licensed platforms. That scrutiny has accelerated a policy pivot: PAGCOR is sequencing new rules, upgrading enforcement and revisiting how advertising and payments shape consumer risk. The context is a market where legal platforms coexist with illegal operators and where misread data can distort policy, investment and public trust.

In recent months, PAGCOR has positioned itself as both growth steward and risk manager. The regulator has rolled out stricter identity checks, restricted payment channels and promised a more assertive ad regime, while acknowledging that these steps may temper revenue in the short term. Officials say the goal is to align with international standards and close regulatory gaps exposed by rapid digital adoption.

From rapid growth to regulatory gaps

Industry momentum set the stage for today’s recalibration. At ICE Barcelona, PAGCOR Chairman Alejandro Tengco said online expansion had outpaced existing guardrails, a theme that guided testimony before senators. Soon after, the regulator outlined a suite of measures to reset the risk baseline. PAGCOR pledged tighter rules on marketing and identity verification, including an expanded ban under review for broadcast ads and stronger know-your-customer checks before any deposit can be made. Operators must now collect a government ID and a live selfie along with full contact details, a response to concerns about borrowed or fake identities flagged in previous hearings. The agency is also working with the Advertising Standards Council on rules for social and digital promotions, and reports that illegal ads are being blocked in coordination with platforms. Those commitments were detailed in PAGCOR’s plan to tighten regulations for the Philippine online gambling industry.

The regulator paired these front-end controls with a broader safety net. PAGCOR said it would expand its safer gaming program with a 24/7 confidential helpline, enhanced self-exclusion tools and a network of accredited treatment centers. Senate leaders framed the effort as a consumer protection and financial integrity issue, signaling bipartisan support for firmer oversight even as the industry contributes to state revenues.

Payment crackdowns reshape the market

The most consequential changes have come through payments. At G2E Asia in Manila, Tengco said PAGCOR had already delinked e-wallets and some payment channels to improve traceability and curb illicit transfers. He also confirmed prohibitions on credit cards and cryptocurrencies for wagering, citing the risks of excessive borrowing and impulsive play. Licensed operators are required to deploy tools like betting limits and self-exclusion to reinforce those barriers. The measures, along with stricter ad controls developed with the Ad Standards Council, were captured in PAGCOR’s move to tighten responsible gaming rules as online play accelerates.

The payment squeeze has had visible effects. PAGCOR reported that operators and players needed time to adjust, with softer revenues in the third quarter. Separately, the central bank’s order for e-wallet providers to remove gambling payment links deepened the near-term hit, with PAGCOR disclosing a 40% to 50% decline in income tied to the decision. To offset risks from an emboldened gray market, PAGCOR committed PHP50 million to the National Bureau of Investigation to underwrite raids, detentions and investigations, a step formalized in its pact to bolster the illegal gambling crackdown. The regulator said the funding would help identify banned offshore operators and sustain operations targeting unlawful gaming activities.

The twin track—tightening payments while intensifying enforcement—reflects a bet that short-term pain will build a more defensible market structure. The agency argues that better audit trails and fewer anonymous channels reduce fraud, money laundering exposure and harmful play, even if they briefly suppress handle and operator yield.

Balancing revenues with responsibility

PAGCOR’s stance also has fiscal dimensions. Despite headwinds, the agency remitted PHP12.7 billion in dividends to the national treasury in 2024, the third largest contribution among government-owned corporations. The Department of Finance recognized the payout during GOCC Day at Malacañan Palace, highlighting the role of state firms in funding priorities without new taxes. The dividend breakdown and recognition were detailed when the government honored PAGCOR for its PHP12.7 billion contribution.

That fiscal backdrop informs today’s political calculus. Tougher rules risk shaving near-term revenue but may forestall larger losses from scandal, fraud or regulatory backlash. PAGCOR has framed its reforms as investments in credibility that make the market safer for consumers and more bankable for operators over time. By linking enforcement funding to field operations, and by formalizing ad and payment constraints, the agency is seeking to demonstrate that growth and governance can move in tandem.

Legislators have underscored the stakes. As the market digitizes, oversight questions are collapsing into broader ones about data privacy, consumer debt and platform accountability. Clear baselines—how many people are playing, on which channels and under what rules—are now prerequisites for coherent policy. Misstated user counts or unclear market shares risk misdirecting enforcement and mispricing the costs and benefits of regulation.

What to watch next

The near-term watchlist centers on enforcement outcomes, ad rules and payment flows. The NBI partnership will be tested by how aggressively authorities move against illegal sites and whether prosecutions deter operators cycling in and out of the market. The regulator’s collaboration with the Advertising Standards Council could shift the visibility of gambling content across social and streaming platforms if a wider broadcast ban is adopted. On payments, the durability of the e-wallet delinking—and the industry’s adaptation to bank rails and other traceable channels—will shape both revenue recovery and compliance metrics.

PAGCOR’s safer gaming expansion, including a round-the-clock helpline and stronger self-exclusion, will provide data on intervention demand and effectiveness. If those services see high uptake, lawmakers may push for codified safeguards across all license classes and sharper penalties for noncompliance. And as the regulator refines market sizing, expect continued emphasis on distinguishing registered accounts from actual unique users, and legal play from illegal channels. That clarity will influence how capital allocators view the Philippines, how operators calibrate marketing and risk, and how policymakers judge whether the current reset is curbing harm without stalling a sector that remains a notable contributor to the treasury.