PAGCOR: P129 million in online gambling prizes of 'banned' bettors voided

The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) said Thursday it has forfeited roughly P130 million worth of online gambling winnings by individuals who are not allowed to play such games, including government employees and persons aged below 21.

PAGCOR Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Alejandro Tengco reported this upon the interpellation of Senator Pia Cayetano during a hearing of the Senate Committee on Games and Amusement into the proliferation of online gambling in the country.

"Ano ba ang 'know your customer' policy natin? Kasi as far as I know, it's one click—are you over age of 21? Check. Are you not a government employee? Check. Ganon lang 'di ba? May iba pa ba tayong paraan na siguraduhin na over 21 'yun?" Cayetano asked. 

(What is your 'know your customer' policy? As far as I know, you can just simply click when asked, are you a government employee? Check. Are you over aged of 21? Check. Do we have other measures to ensure that they are indeed over 21?) 

In response, Tengco said PAGCOR is "strictly" implementing a policy that states only persons 21 years old above are allowed to register in online gambling platforms. 

He, however, admitted that some bettors below the age limit are still able to get through whenever they use fake IDs. 

"Hindi po pumapayag ang PAGCOR na mabayaran ang jackpot, ang panalo ninyo kung malalaman namin na kayo ay isang banned personality—maging ikaw ay empleyado ng gobyerno o ikaw ay nagkaroon ng pakikiusap, or sa programa ng PAGCOR ay self- exclusion, ay hindi kayo makakasama," Tengco explained. 

(PAGCOR does not allow to release the winnings or jackpot prize of those who were found to be banned personalities—whether you are a government employee or you have signed PAGCOR's self-exclusion form, then you would not be able to play.)

"As of July 2025, Senator Cayetano, P129 million na ang finorfeit na PAGCOR na winnings na dapat hindi nakapag-laro," he added. 

(As of July 2025, Senator Cayetano, the PAGCOR forfeited winnings worth of P129 million of those who should not be able to play.) 

Pursuant to Presidential Decree 1869 or the PAGCOR Charter, as amended by Republic Act 9487 and Malacañang Memorandum Circular No. 6 Series of 2016, the following are barred from entering, staying and/or playing in gambling casinos:

• Government officials connected directly with the operation of the government or any of its agencies;
• Members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, including the Army, Navy, Air Force or the Philippine National Police; and
• Persons under 21 years of age or student at any school, college, or university in the Philippines.

Also during the hearing, Tengco said that despite reports of online gambling affecting Filipinos, the PAGCOR has not received any formal appeal from any family seeking for help. 

"Magtatapat po ako sa inyo, chairman. Sa tatlong taon ko po ro'n, hindi kami nakatanggap ng anumang sulat mula sa pamilya ng isang nasawi. Wala kami natanggap na sulat na humihingi ng tulong. Dahil puwede ko naman sabihin sa inyo na lahat ng sulat na nanggagaling sa LGU (local government unit) at kung anu-anong ahensya ng gobyerno, inaaksyunan namin 'yun kaagad," he said. 

(I will be honest with you, chairman. In my three years here, we have not received any letter from the family of any person who died. We have not received a letter from anyone asking for help. I can tell you that we just immediately act on all the letters that come from the LGU and other government agencies.) 

PAGCOR Assistant Vice President Jessa Fernandez also noted that as of June 2025, the income of PAGCOR coming from electronic gaming reached 59.92% or P32 billion—far from four years ago when it was still at 18.98% or P6.19 billion.

She also said licensed online gaming operators of PAGCOR were only 40% of the total online gaming market in the country. She emphasized that this was 800% higher compared to 2021.

"Sa pamamagitan ng paggawa at pagrerebisa ng mga regulasyon ay nakuha natin ang mas malaking market share sa online gaming na nakapagbigay ng pagkakataon sa PAGCOR na mas makatulong sa pamahalaan at sa mas marami pang Pilipino. Naniniwala ang PAGCOR na malaki ang maitutulong ng industriya sa bansa," Fernandez said. 

(By creating and revising the regulations, we have gained a larger market share in online gaming, which has given PAGCOR the opportunity to help the government and the Filipinos more. PAGCOR believes that this industry can greatly help the country.) 

"Sa aming opinyon, sa halip na tuluyang ipagbawal, mas makakabuting magpatupad tayo ng malinaw, mahigpit, at responsableng regulasyon," she added. 

(In our opinion, instead of imposing an outright ban on online gambling, it would be better if we implement clear, strict, and responsible regulations.) 

Several lawmakers have called for either a total ban or strict regulation of online gambling in the country, citing its negative impact on Filipinos who got addicted to it. — VDV, GMA Integrated News