PAGCOR targets December for licensed-site checker app

The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) is targeting December 2026 for a mobile app that lets players check which online gaming platforms it licenses. PAGCOR announced the date in a release on 19 October. Its board approved the app's development on 8 October.

"This platform will give players a reliable way to verify which online gaming platforms are licensed by PAGCOR. We want the public to make informed choices and avoid falling prey to illegal operators," PAGCOR Chairman and CEO Alejandro H. Tengco said in the release.

Who builds it, and on what terms

The board's approval includes a proposed partnership with Development Bank of the Philippines Data Center, Inc. (DCI). DCI would develop, host, run and maintain the app and provide technical support at no cost to PAGCOR. The arrangement would run for five years and could be renewed by written agreement.

The app has to prove itself first. Before full rollout, DCI must present a proof of concept for a minimum viable product. PAGCOR describes a six-month assessment of the proposed features, system architecture, security controls and overall feasibility. It can end the deal if DCI doesn't fix any problems found within a reasonable time. The partnership must also comply with the Philippines' Data Privacy Act of 2012 and other data security laws.

Why PAGCOR wants it

Tengco told a House Appropriations Committee hearing on 24 August that the app would launch before the end of the year. At that hearing he said that around half of the online gaming sites accessed in the Philippines are illegal. He also said that playing on a licensed platform gives players a way to seek redress when disputes arise.

PAGCOR says it is also working with the Department of Information and Communications Technology, the National Telecommunications Commission and the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordination Center against illegal online gambling operators.

What players can use before the app arrives

The app builds on tools that already exist. PAGCOR launched the PAGCOR Guarantee verification site in 2025 to check whether an online gaming provider is licensed, and it publishes a lists of accredited gaming system administrators and licensed casinos with their registered brands and domain names. Checking a site's exact web address against PAGCOR's own list is more reliable than trusting a licence badge on the site itself.

Other regulators warn about fake licence claims too: the Isle of Man regulator has warned about websites falsely claiming its licence. For more from the Philippine market, see our reports on Bloomberry's OnlyFun livestream casino and the Coins.ph cash-in suspension.

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