Alejandro H. Tengco, Chairman and CEO of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR), once again made it clear: the Philippines should not completely ban online gambling, but should promote industry compliance, safety, and sustainable development through stricter regulation.
Tengco delivered a speech to the industry at the Light & Wonder iGaming seminar held at the Newport World Resort in Pasay City. He pointed out that although the Philippines still faces many challenges from iGaming after cracking down on Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO), simply banning it outright would only drive players to illegal platforms, ultimately leading to reduced government revenue and job losses.
Tengco emphasized: "Electronic gambling in the Philippines is no longer just about growth, but about how to achieve safety, fairness, and sustainability. We support stricter regulation to protect the public, but we are firmly against a complete ban, as it would only push players towards illegal operators."
Data shows that last year, electronic gaming revenue accounted for nearly half of the total gaming revenue in the Philippines, amounting to 372.3 billion pesos (about 6.57 billion US dollars). This year, this sector has already contributed 114.83 billion pesos (about 2.02 billion US dollars), surpassing the physical gaming business. Tengco believes that this trend proves that iGaming has become an important pillar of the gaming market.
In his speech, he also detailed the reform measures being promoted by PAGCOR, including:
Separating regulatory functions from operational functions;
Establishing more comprehensive responsible gaming safeguards;
Introducing stricter advertising standards;
Launching a 24/7 round-the-clock service hotline;
Adopting PAGCOR guaranteed portals and artificial intelligence monitoring systems and other digital tools.
Furthermore, Tengco called on industry operators to practice "compliance by design," strictly adhere to anti-money laundering regulations, and strengthen KYC procedures. He stated that only under the premises of transparency and responsibility can the Philippines build a stronger, more internationally competitive iGaming industry.
Currently, Philippine financial institutions are intensifying monitoring of capital flows related to online gambling, and the Senate will also initiate an investigation into this matter. In this context, Tengco's stance highlights the delicate balance between regulation and industry development.
