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🇵🇭 Philippines PAGCOR — Onshore Asia

Philippines — PAGCOR licence.

Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation — the primary onshore iGaming regulator for B2B and B2C operators targeting Asia-Pacific.

Timeline

3—6 mo

POGO renewal track

Min. Capital

USD 50K

Performance bond

Year-1 Cost

USD 200—350K

Year-one · fully loaded

Regulator

PAGCOR

Government corporation

01 — Is this right for you?

A considered route,
not a shortcut.

This jurisdiction rewards operators who treat the application as the start of a supervisory relationship.

A strong fit

When this is the right choice

B2C operators targeting Asia ex-PH

PAGCOR offshore operators serve players outside the Philippines under a tightly defined regional remit — ideal for SEA-focused live-dealer and casino brands.

Operators wanting real onshore substance

Manila office, local staff, and Philippine corporate structure deliver bank-grade operational credibility offshore licences cannot match.

Live-dealer studios and casino integrators

PAGCOR is one of the few regulators with a mature regulatory framework for streamed live casino content.

A poor fit

When to consider an alternative

Sportsbook-first operators

PAGCOR sports betting permissions are narrow and politically sensitive — Curaçao or Anjouan suit pure sportsbook brands better.

Operators wanting maximum anonymity

Philippine corporate disclosure is comprehensive. UBOs, directors, and key staff are matters of public record.

Crypto-native casinos with no fiat rails

PAGCOR expects regulated banking and fiat settlement. Pure-crypto operators are better served by Curaçao or Anjouan.

02 — Licence categories

Permissions under
one Act.

Choosing the right tier and scope is the most consequential decision in the application.

Internet Gaming Licence

The core PAGCOR offshore permission covering casino, slots, and live-dealer products served to non-Philippine players. Annual renewal under POGO supervision.

Service Provider Accreditation

For platform providers, content suppliers, and B2B vendors operating to licensed PAGCOR operators. Lower capital and faster review than a full operator licence.

Special Authorisations

Targeted permissions for specific verticals — live-dealer studios, payment service providers to operators, and ancillary B2B suppliers within the PAGCOR ecosystem.

03 — Path to grant

Phases to licence grant.

Corporate setup

Weeks 1—4

Philippine domestic entity incorporated with compliant officer structure — resident secretary-administrator, treasury officer, and AML officer appointed. Registered office established.

Application filing

Weeks 5—10

Full PAGCOR application submitted including gaming system documentation, technical architecture, AML compliance framework, and financial projections.

PAGCOR review

Months 3—5

PAGCOR conducts a compliance review of the application and may conduct a financial audit. We manage the review process and respond to all regulatory queries.

Provisional grant

Month 5—6

Provisional licence granted. Monthly supervisory fee and 5% GGR franchise tax obligations begin. Full operational launch under PAGCOR oversight.

04 — Year-one economics

Cost and regulatory
burden.

Year-one spend is dominated by substance — resident director, office, compliance officer, external audit — not the licence fee itself.

Cost item	Amount
Application & licence fees	Included in USD 200—350K
Regulatory capital	USD 50K
Annual audit & compliance	40,000 — 90,000
Local director & substance	60,000 — 140,000 / year
Year-1 total (loaded)	USD 200—350K

Tax and regulatory treatment varies by jurisdiction — figures above reflect typical year-one operational loadings for an active operator with real onshore substance.

05 — Common questions

What founders
ask before filing.

The questions we get on every diagnostic call. If yours isn't here, raise it in the consultation.

The Philippine government banned new POGO licences in mid-2024 and is winding down the legacy POGO regime. The successor regulatory track is now called IGL (Internet Gaming Licensee) under a tightened PAGCOR framework. Existing dialogue with operators continues; new entrants apply under the IGL pathway with stricter substance, banking, and AML requirements than legacy POGO.

Yes — 100% foreign ownership of a Philippine corporation is permitted for offshore-only gaming operations. The licensee must be a Philippine-incorporated entity with a real Manila or BGC office, locally hired compliance and AML staff, and a Philippine-resident company director.

PAGCOR delivers materially stronger banking and counterparty credibility but takes 3—6 months and requires real onshore substance with USD 200K+ year-one cost. Curaçao is faster (4—12 weeks), cheaper (USD 30—80K), and accepted by most aggregators — but with weaker bank rails and a thinner regulatory shield. Many operators run both: Curaçao to launch, PAGCOR to scale institutionally.

PAGCOR offshore licensees may not accept players residing in the Philippines. Operators must geofence, identity-verify, and document the residency of every account. Breaches are treated as a fundamental compliance failure and can trigger licence suspension.

Quarterly reporting on volume, revenue, and player KYC outcomes. Annual external audit. AML/CFT reporting to AMLC and PAGCOR. Performance bond maintenance. Notification of any change in beneficial ownership, directors, or platform technology stack. PAGCOR conducts both scheduled and surprise compliance inspections.

Ready when you are

Tell us where
you want to
operate.

Forty-five minutes with a partner. Jurisdiction memo within seven days. No retainer required to start.

Book a consultation Send us a brief

45 min

First call with a partner.
No retainer required.

Philippines — PAGCOR licence.

A considered route,not a shortcut.