Crypto Casinos in the Philippines: PAGCOR Rules and the 2024 Ban

In the Philippines, online casino play is lawful only on sites licensed by PAGCOR, the state gaming regulator, and offshore crypto casinos hold no such licence. Since 2024 the government has also shut down the offshore gaming industry that once served foreign players from Manila, and since August 2025 e-wallets such as GCash and Maya have had to remove gambling links. This guide sets out what that means if you live in the Philippines and are curious about Bitcoin or USDT casinos, how crypto is regulated locally, and where to turn for help.

It is a reference page only: no casino list, no bonuses, no affiliate links. For general background on how these sites work, read our explainer on what a crypto casino is.

Who regulates gambling in the Philippines

The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) is both a casino operator and the national gaming regulator. It was created by Presidential Decree 1869 in 1983, and Republic Act 9487 extended its charter in 2007. PAGCOR licenses land-based casinos such as those in Entertainment City, Manila, and it also licenses certain online gaming offered to people located in the Philippines. Its rules set a minimum age of 21.

A few special economic zones, such as the Cagayan Economic Zone Authority area, have their own gaming licensing powers. None of this extends to foreign crypto casinos that simply accept Filipino sign-ups.

PAGCOR’s licence types for local online play

PAGCOR does license some online gambling for people physically in the Philippines, which makes the country unusual in the region. The main categories are:

• Philippine Inland Gaming Operators (PIGO): online casino-style and sports betting platforms licensed to serve players located in the Philippines.
• eGames: electronic casino games, historically offered through licensed terminals and sites.
• eBingo: electronic bingo.

Licensed local platforms must verify identity and age, offer responsible gaming tools such as self-exclusion and betting limits, and take payments through regulated peso channels. PAGCOR’s rules for these platforms do not allow betting with credit cards or cryptocurrency. In other words, the lawful online route for a Filipino player is a peso account on a PAGCOR-listed platform, and a crypto casino is by design outside it.

Not everyone may play even on licensed platforms. Besides the age limit of 21, PAGCOR’s rules bar certain groups, including government officials and employees, members of the armed forces and police, and anyone under a self-exclusion or family exclusion order. A crypto casino run from abroad checks none of these lists, which is one reason regulators see unlicensed sites as a gap in player protection rather than just a tax problem.

The POGO ban: Executive Order No. 74 of 2024

For years the Philippines licensed Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) and internet gaming licensees that took bets from players abroad, mostly in mainland China. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. announced a ban in his State of the Nation Address on 22 July 2024. He signed Executive Order No. 74 on 5 November 2024, and it was published in the Official Gazette on 8 November 2024.

• No new offshore gaming or internet gaming licences may be issued.
• Existing licences will not be renewed or extended.
• The order set 31 December 2024 as the deadline for all offshore gaming operations and their service providers to stop. PAGCOR itself cancelled all internet gaming licences and authorised providers with effect from 15 December 2024.

That ban was about companies operating from the Philippines for foreign customers. It did not create a new rule for Filipino players, but it removed any idea that the country welcomes unlicensed or offshore-facing gambling businesses.

The President’s stated reasons were crime linked to some POGO hubs, including scam compounds and human trafficking uncovered in police raids, and the damage to the country’s reputation. Those raids also showed how easily a “licensed” label can be faked: several hubs had operated with expired or borrowed permits.

The e-sabong precedent

The POGO ban was not the first time the government shut an online gambling product. Online cockfighting (e-sabong), which PAGCOR had licensed, exploded during the pandemic and was linked to debts and the disappearance of dozens of people involved in the trade. President Rodrigo Duterte ordered it stopped in May 2022, and it has not returned. The lesson for players is that online gambling rules in the Philippines can change quickly, and that a licence today is no promise of a product tomorrow.

Online casinos for Filipino players: licensed versus offshore

Philippine criminal law on illegal gambling goes back to Presidential Decree 1602 (1978), which penalises taking part in unauthorised gambling as well as running it, and Republic Act 9287 (2004) raised the penalties for illegal numbers games. The Cybercrime Prevention Act 2012 (Republic Act 10175) adds one degree to the penalty when a crime under the Revised Penal Code or special laws is committed through computers. In practice, enforcement has concentrated on operators, payment channels and advertising rather than individual players, but that is a pattern, not a guarantee.

How to check a site’s Philippine licence

1. Look for the operator’s company name and licence details in the site footer or terms, not just a logo. A seal image can be copied by anyone.
2. Confirm the platform on the PAGCOR Guarantee page, launched on 18 June 2025 with a regularly updated list of licensed online gaming platforms. If the site is not there, treat it as unlicensed in the Philippines.
3. Check the age gate. A site that lets a 19-year-old in is not following PAGCOR’s rules, whatever its footer says.
4. Be wary of anything that only accepts crypto. Licensed local sites use regulated peso payment channels so that KYC and age checks happen.

E-wallets and payments after August 2025

On 14 August 2025, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) issued Memorandum No. M-2025-029, ordering banks and e-money issuers to remove in-app links, icons and features that sent customers to online gambling sites, within 48 hours. Maya disabled its gaming links on the evening of 16 August 2025, and GCash suspended gambling access in its GLife section the same weekend. BSP had also published a draft regulation on online gambling payment services on 8 August 2025.

For anyone thinking about crypto casinos, the effect is indirect. Crypto bought on a local exchange can still be withdrawn to a private wallet and sent anywhere, so the e-wallet rules do not technically stop a deposit to an offshore site. They do show the direction of policy: regulators are cutting payment routes to gambling, not opening new ones.

What M-2025-029 covers, and what it does not

The practical result for players: you can no longer open an online casino from inside GCash or Maya, and any site asking you to “cash in through GCash” via a personal account number or QR code is using a workaround that neither the e-wallet nor PAGCOR stands behind.

What may change next

Online gambling has been a recurring subject in Congress since 2025. Bills filed in both the Senate and the House propose anything from tighter advertising rules and higher deposit thresholds to a full ban on online gambling, and the Senate Committee on Games and Amusement held hearings on the issue in August 2025. As of October 2026 none of these bills had become law, so PAGCOR licensing remains the deciding test. If a new law passes, we will update this page.

Please read this before playing anywhere. An online casino without a PAGCOR licence is not authorised in the Philippines, and taking part in unauthorised gambling can itself be unlawful. If an offshore site holds your winnings or closes your account, no Philippine agency can help you recover the money.

Tax on gambling winnings in the Philippines

Under the National Internal Revenue Code, prizes above PHP 10,000 and other winnings from Philippine sources carry a 20% final tax (Section 24(B)(1)), usually withheld by the payer. Resident citizens are taxed on worldwide income, so winnings paid by a foreign site are not automatically outside Philippine tax just because nobody withheld anything. If you have large gains from any source, a registered tax adviser or the Bureau of Internal Revenue can confirm how to report them.

A worked example: a PHP 50,000 jackpot at a licensed venue is above the PHP 10,000 threshold, so the 20% final tax applies to the whole prize, PHP 10,000, normally withheld before payout. A prize of PHP 8,000 is below the threshold and is instead included in regular taxable income. A crypto casino withholds nothing and issues no Philippine tax certificate, which leaves you with the reporting problem and no paperwork.

Crypto rules in the Philippines

Buying and holding crypto is legal. Two regulators split the work:

1. BSP supervises virtual asset service providers (VASPs) that exchange crypto for pesos, transfer it or hold it for customers. BSP Circular No. 1108 set the framework, effective 1 February 2021, and BSP publishes a list of registered VASPs. New VASP licences have been on hold since 1 September 2022, and BSP extended that moratorium from 1 September 2025 (Memorandum M-2025-031), so the list is short and changes slowly. Local platforms such as Coins.ph, PDAX and Maya appear on it.
2. The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) issued its Crypto-Asset Service Provider (CASP) Rules as Memorandum Circular No. 4, Series of 2025, on 30 May 2025, together with marketing guidelines in Memorandum Circular No. 5. Both took effect on 5 July 2025. A CASP must be a Philippine corporation with at least PHP 100 million paid-up capital and a local office.

Foreign exchanges without Philippine registration have been blocked before: the SEC moved against Binance in 2024 for soliciting Filipino investors without registration, and its website was blocked locally. If an exchange is not on the BSP or SEC lists, you have no local regulator to complain to.

No crypto-specific tax rate exists. Gains are taxed under ordinary rules, which depend on whether you hold crypto as an investment or trade it as a business, so keep a record of purchase prices, dates and transfers in pesos. For general background on wallets and exchanges, see our guides to crypto wallets and crypto exchanges.

Is crypto legal in the Philippines, and do Filipinos use it?

Yes on both counts. Crypto is legal to buy, hold and sell, though it is not legal tender, and it is widely used for trading, remittances and play-to-earn games. That everyday use is one reason offshore casinos target the country with USDT deposits. Legal use of crypto and legal gambling are separate questions: a BSP-registered wallet does not make an unlicensed casino lawful.

Which crypto platform should you use?

We do not rank exchanges. The safe test is regulatory: use a platform that appears on BSP’s VASP list, and for investment products check that it complies with the SEC’s CASP Rules. A platform that is on neither list gives you no local regulator to complain to, whatever its marketing says.

Peer-to-peer trading risks

Many Filipinos buy USDT through peer-to-peer markets, paying a stranger by bank transfer or e-wallet. The risk is less about the crypto and more about the money trail. If the seller’s funds came from fraud, the peso payment can be traced back to you, and banks can freeze accounts while the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) or the bank investigates. Buying from a registered VASP costs a little more in spread or fees but leaves a clean record.

USDT, Bitcoin and the “anonymous” myth

Tether on the Tron network is popular in Southeast Asia because transfers are cheap and fast. That popularity has a downside: Tether can freeze USDT held at addresses linked to fraud or sanctions, and local exchanges run KYC and report suspicious transfers under the Anti-Money Laundering Act. Bitcoin is pseudonymous rather than anonymous; every transfer sits on a public ledger. Our USDT explainer and Bitcoin payments guide describe how these coins move, for readers in countries where offshore play is lawful.

Foreign licences shown on offshore sites, such as Curaçao or Anjouan, are explained on our licence guide. They govern the operator’s relationship with that foreign regulator. They do not make a site lawful for players in Manila, Cebu or Davao.

If money is stuck on an offshore site

PAGCOR can act on complaints against platforms it licenses. It has no power over an offshore crypto casino. If one holds your balance, this is the realistic sequence:

1. Stop depositing. Adding money to “unlock” a stuck withdrawal is the most common way losses grow.
2. Ask for the withdrawal in writing through the site’s support channel, and keep screenshots of the balance, the terms in force and every reply.
3. If the site shows a Curaçao licence, complain to the casino first, then to one of the dispute bodies certified by the Curaçao Gaming Authority; the CGA itself does not settle individual disputes. For an Anjouan licence, complain through the licence seal on the site; the operator has 30 days to respond.
4. Check whether the Philippines is on the site’s restricted-country list. If it is, expect the operator to void winnings, and expect the dispute body to agree.
5. Never pay a “tax”, “release fee” or “verification deposit” to get your money out. Real operators deduct fees from the balance; scams ask for fresh money.

If you were scammed, report it to the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC) through its 1326 hotline, and tell your bank or e-wallet immediately.

Anti-money-laundering rules and casinos

Republic Act 10927 (2017) brought casinos, including internet-based casinos, under the Anti-Money Laundering Act as covered persons. Licensed operators must identify customers, keep records and report covered and suspicious transactions to the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC). Offshore crypto casinos do none of that in the Philippines, but the exchanges and banks at either end of your transactions do, which is how gambling-related transfers end up flagged and accounts frozen.

Advice on competitor sites we will not repeat

Some international pages ranking for this topic walk Filipinos through getting a VPN, buying crypto with pesos and depositing into an offshore casino. We do not. A VPN does not change the law where you are, and hiding your location usually breaks the operator’s own terms, which gives it grounds to void winnings. If a site restricts the Philippines and you play anyway, no dispute body will side with you.

How the Philippines compares in Southeast Asia

The Philippines is the only country in this group that licenses online gambling for local players at all. Singapore licenses a single remote operator and fines players who use others, as our Singapore page explains. Malaysia licenses no online casino, covered on our Malaysia page, and Indonesia bans all gambling, see our Indonesia page.

A short checklist before sending crypto anywhere

• Is the recipient regulated in the Philippines? If not, assume you cannot get the funds back through any local channel.
• Have you checked the network? Sending USDT on Ethereum to a Tron address, or the reverse, can lose the funds for good.
• Have you kept a record of the peso value on the day you bought and sent the coins? You will need it for tax.
• Would losing the whole amount affect rent, food or debt payments? If yes, the answer is to stop, not to play smaller.

Where to get help in the Philippines

• PAGCOR National Problem Gambling Helpline: 02-8248-9568, open 24 hours a day since its launch on 26 May 2026. It is run with the Seagulls Flock Organization and offers confidential counselling, crisis support and referrals for players and families. In June 2026 PAGCOR ordered licensed operators to replace some gaming advertising with helpline materials.
• National Center for Mental Health crisis hotline: dial 1553 (free, nationwide, 24 hours).
• PAGCOR exclusion: you can ask PAGCOR to bar you from its licensed casinos and gaming sites; family members can also apply in some cases. Details are on PAGCOR’s exclusion page.
• Gamblers Anonymous: peer meetings and an online directory at gamblersanonymous.org.

Our responsible gambling page covers spending limits, cooling-off periods and how to spot a problem early.

Philippines crypto casino questions

Is crypto casino legal in the Philippines?

Only PAGCOR-licensed platforms may offer online gambling to players in the Philippines, and PAGCOR’s rules do not allow betting with crypto on those platforms. Offshore crypto casinos hold no PAGCOR licence.

Is crypto legal in the Philippines?

Yes. Buying, holding and selling crypto is legal through BSP-registered virtual asset service providers, and the SEC’s CASP Rules have applied since 5 July 2025. Crypto is not legal tender.

Which crypto platform is the best in the Philippines?

We do not rank exchanges. Use a platform on the BSP’s list of registered VASPs and check it complies with the SEC’s CASP Rules; anything on neither list gives you no local regulator to turn to.

How can I check if an online casino is PAGCOR licensed?

Search for the platform on the PAGCOR Guarantee page at pagcor.ph, launched on 18 June 2025. A logo or certificate shown on the site itself proves nothing, because illegal sites copy them.

Did the Philippines ban online gambling in 2024?

It banned offshore gaming operators (POGOs) and internet gaming licensees through Executive Order No. 74, signed on 5 November 2024, with a 31 December 2024 deadline; PAGCOR cancelled the licences from 15 December 2024. PAGCOR-licensed gaming for players in the Philippines was not part of that ban.

Can I use GCash or Maya to deposit at an online casino?

Not through in-app links. BSP Memorandum M-2025-029 of 14 August 2025 made e-wallets remove gambling links within 48 hours. Personal GCash numbers or QR codes offered by offshore sites are an unregulated workaround.

Are gambling winnings taxed in the Philippines?

Prizes above PHP 10,000 and other winnings carry a 20% final tax under Section 24(B)(1) of the Tax Code. Resident citizens are taxed on worldwide income, so foreign winnings are not automatically exempt.

Where can I get help for a gambling problem in the Philippines?

Call PAGCOR’s 24-hour National Problem Gambling Helpline on 02-8248-9568, the National Center for Mental Health crisis line on 1553, or ask PAGCOR about self-exclusion.