Philippine regulator boosts data privacy with National Privacy Commission partnership

Abi Bray

23 October 2025 at 7:24am UTC-4

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Philippine gambling regulator PAGCOR has partnered with the National Privacy Commission to strengthen data protection and regulatory services across the country’s regulated market.

The agreement, signed on October 20, will see the two agencies launch joint programs to address data privacy-related challenges, as well as enhance stakeholder cooperation and promote a safer gaming environment nationwide.

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Privacy Commissioner Atty John Henry D Naga said the agreement “underscores that data protection is not only a compliance requirement but a key foundation of trust in the digital era.” He also added that the agreement “demonstrates a commitment to integrity and innovation across the industry.”

PAGCOR Chairman and Chief Executive Alejandro Tengco added that the signed Memorandum of Understanding reiterates the regulator’s mission to create a fair gaming environment and continue safeguarding the data of its clients and employees.

“This Memorandum of Understanding with the NPC is a vital step in aligning PAGCOR’s policies and processes with the evolving data privacy landscape,” Tengco said. “It reinforces our duty to protect personal information while ensuring that our operations remain transparent, compliant, and trustworthy.”

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Earlier this month PAGCOR received a certificate of recognition from the Department of Finance for its PHP12.7 billion (US$217 million)1 PHP = 0.0171 USD
2025-10-23Powered by CMG CurrenShift contribution to the country’s treasury in 2024.

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The Backstory

Why the privacy push matters now

The data privacy pact comes as Manila reassesses how to police a rapidly digitizing gambling market. The president’s communications team recently called for a data-driven study of online gambling before any major policy shifts, urging officials to separate problems tied to illegal operations from those of licensed platforms. That framing places a premium on credible data, clearer accountability and stronger safeguards for players whose activity increasingly runs through mobile apps and remote services. A formal partnership with the National Privacy Commission aims to tighten those guardrails and standardize practices across licensees.

The stakes are practical. Licensed operators hold large volumes of personal and financial information, while authorities wrestle with persistent illegal channels and evolving fraud tactics. Privacy lapses can undermine confidence and feed calls for blunt restrictions or bans. By signaling joint oversight, the regulator seeks to reduce the risk of breaches, align compliance with Philippine and global standards, and give policymakers a firmer factual base as they weigh new rules.

The timing also reflects a broader effort to modernize supervision. Regulators want better tools to verify license status, monitor platforms and enforce advertising limits. Stronger privacy regimes can make those controls more reliable and defensible in court, especially as market participants challenge rules they see as overreach.

A regulator in the middle of reform

The privacy accord is unfolding alongside a structural overhaul of the state’s role in gambling. PAGCOR has reaffirmed its plan to split its dual mandate and shed operations so it can focus on supervision, arguing that “a referee cannot also be a player.” The agency moved ahead with plans to separate regulator and operator roles, subject to approvals and legal reviews. Management has pledged to protect employees during privatization and said reforms are needed as electronic gaming expands.

That separation heightens the importance of guardrails like data protection. A regulator that no longer runs casinos must rely on transparent standards, verifiable compliance and coordinated enforcement to keep pace with remote and hybrid models. Recent measures — from a public verification page for licensed sites to safe gaming tools — underscore that shift. The Philippines’ removal from the Financial Action Task Force gray list, as PAGCOR noted, adds momentum and pressure to meet global expectations on integrity and risk management.

The privacy partnership complements those aims. Shared programs with the National Privacy Commission can help align practices across licensees, reduce disputes over what constitutes adequate safeguards and speed investigations when incidents occur. That, in turn, supports the case for a regulated market that can deliver consumer protections without resorting to blanket prohibitions.

Policy pressures from all sides

Even as the Palace seeks a measured review, political and social pressure has intensified. Lawmakers and church leaders renewed calls for a ban on online gambling, while education officials stressed better protections for students. The administration has cautioned against sweeping shutdowns, pointing out that compliant platforms can fund public services and that enforcement, not legality, is often the weak link. The call for thorough analysis reflects a recognition that the social costs and fiscal benefits must be weighed with credible evidence.

Industry leaders warn that poorly targeted crackdowns can backfire. At a Manila conference, executives argued that curbs on mainstream e-wallets and advertising risk pushing players to unregulated sites. They warned against overregulation, saying channels like GCash and Maya had strong know-your-customer controls and kept activity within the licensed perimeter. With promotion limited, they say consumers struggle to tell legitimate operators from lookalikes.

The privacy initiative tries to thread that needle. Better data governance and clearer standards can support risk-based policy, allowing officials to tighten rules where harm is concentrated and ease constraints where compliance is effective. If regulators can demonstrate that licensed platforms protect personal information and offer verifiable safeguards, it bolsters the argument for a regulated path over prohibition.

Fraud trends test the system

The market’s growing pains include opportunistic fraud that exploits regulatory transitions. PAGCOR recently warned the public about fake gaming contracts linked to a legitimate e-games venue operator but invoking a bogus offshore license. Offshore operations were banned at the end of 2024, yet scammers dangled phony agreements promising returns if victims deposited upfront. The episode shows how brand confusion and licensing jargon can be weaponized against consumers.

That is where privacy and identity controls intersect with enforcement. Stronger verification requirements and breach response protocols make it harder for fraudsters to harvest data or impersonate licensees. Clearer public tools to confirm a platform’s status reduce the credibility of counterfeit documents. Pairing these with law enforcement coordination can speed takedowns and deter copycats.

The Palace also highlighted a persistent problem: illegal e-sabong continues despite a formal ban, suggesting that rulemaking alone does not eliminate demand or supply. Better data sharing between agencies can illuminate how illicit operators recruit customers, which payment routes they use and where enforcement should target. The privacy commission’s involvement can help ensure that data used for these purposes is handled lawfully and proportionately.

Revenue, accountability and what comes next

The fiscal backdrop raises the stakes. PAGCOR was honored for remitting PHP12.7 billion to the treasury in 2024, ranking among the top contributors to state coffers. The regulator argues that a functioning legal market funds public services and that an outright ban could blow a hole in revenues — estimated at more than PHP100 billion annually by its chairman. The administration has echoed that calculus in cautioning against blanket solutions.

Still, maintaining legitimacy requires more than revenue. As PAGCOR advances privatization and focuses on regulation, it will be judged on whether it can keep data safe, distinguish legal operators from rogue ones and act quickly when problems arise. The privacy partnership signals that regulators are building capacity to meet that test.

In the coming months, look for tighter guidance on data handling, clearer consumer disclosures and joint programs to train industry staff on compliance. Expect continued friction over payments restrictions and advertising, with operators pushing for channels that keep play inside the legal perimeter. The government’s study of online gambling will weigh those trade-offs. If officials can pair strong privacy standards with targeted enforcement, they may find a path that protects consumers, preserves revenue and narrows the space for illicit actors.