The Philippine gaming regulatory system is welcoming a new round of upgrades—PAGCOR recently joined forces with the Central Bank of the Philippines (BSP) to adjust the regulatory framework, incorporating banks, digital banks, e-wallets, payment gateways, and related payment service providers into a more stringent anti-money laundering regulatory system, with a focus on monitoring the flow of funds in online gaming and electronic gaming platforms. According to the PASA official website, this marks a shift in the focus of Philippine gaming regulation from "regulating platforms" to "regulating funds".
The entire payment chain is included in the regulation, from the recharge entry to the withdrawal channels, there is no escape
In recent years, the Philippine online gaming market has developed rapidly, with players increasingly relying on e-wallets and digital payment tools for deposits and withdrawals. The regulatory authorities are clearly no longer satisfied with just monitoring the gaming platforms themselves. According to the latest regulations, all financial institutions regulated by the Central Bank of the Philippines and recognized by PAGCOR as gaming industry support service providers must strictly comply with the rules set by the Philippine Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC). The institutions included in the regulatory scope are: 1. Traditional commercial banks and digital banks; 2. Non-bank financial institutions and electronic money issuers; 3. Payment gateways and other payment service companies. In other words, in the future, the gaming industry's recharge portals, withdrawal channels, e-wallet accounts, and backend payment systems will all be under the regulatory "spotlight"—whether a platform is compliant will no longer just depend on having a gaming license, but also on whether the funding chain can withstand scrutiny. The new regulations also establish a closer information-sharing mechanism between PAGCOR and BSP, and if the central bank discovers any non-compliant behavior in related financial institutions and reports it to the PAGCOR anti-money laundering enforcement department, the involved companies may face administrative penalties, business restrictions, or even suspension or cancellation of qualifications.
Compliance process simplified but costs not reduced, venue change fee of 50,000 pesos
While strengthening regulation, PAGCOR also tries to reduce unnecessary procedures for compliant companies. According to the new rules, financial institutions applying to become gaming industry support service providers only need to submit a valid license from the Central Bank of the Philippines and proof that meets the central bank's eligibility criteria to replace some of the repetitive review processes, and some personal disclosure document requirements have also been canceled to reduce cumbersome paperwork and repetitive approvals. However, a smoother process does not mean lower costs—PAGCOR has added a new fee regulation: if a gaming company plans to expand, reduce, or relocate its operating area within the same building, park, or complex, it must pay a 50,000 pesos application processing fee. Additionally, the rules for market promotion in the gaming industry are also tightening—new regulations have removed some exemptions that allowed announcements to be published without prior approval, and in the future, operators and service companies may face stricter content reviews in advertising promotions, brand promotion, and market announcements. PAGCOR also emphasizes that if an operator or service provider engages in serious misconduct, damaging the credibility of the institution or the overall image of the Philippine gaming industry, the regulator has the right to suspend or even revoke its operating qualifications; for financial institutions regulated by the Central Bank, PAGCOR will also coordinate directly with BSP in the future, and take preventive suspension measures if necessary.
The regulatory storm shifts from platforms to the funding chain, with payment channels becoming the next battlefield
Overall, this adjustment of rules marks a new phase in Philippine gaming regulation. In the era of electronic gaming, what really moves is the money—if there are loopholes in the payment channels, they often become hotbeds for money laundering activities, illegal gaming fund transfers, gray industry transactions, and fund splitting operations. What will determine whether a gaming company can operate stably in the long term, besides the license itself, is perhaps more crucially whether the backing banking system, e-wallet channels, customer identity recognition mechanisms, and anti-money laundering management capabilities are truly in place. For companies engaged in online entertainment, payment technology, financial services, and related gaming businesses, a regulatory storm surrounding payment channels and funding chain security has quietly begun.
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This article is from "PASA-Global iGaming Leaders," a gaming industry news channel:https://t.me/pasa_news
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