The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) has implemented a set of updated regulatory rules that intensify the supervision of business-to-business (B2B) suppliers catering to the Philippine iGaming market, thereby intensifying the risks for vendors who have postponed accreditation within the regulator’s dynamic framework. According to industry sources and statements from PAGCOR officials, suppliers that fail to secure the necessary endorsements risk significant compliance and operational impacts, including denial of approvals and limited market access.
Under the revised framework, technical suppliers, platform providers, and third‑party service companies supporting licensed operators are increasingly being drawn into PAGCOR’s compliance perimeter. The rules are designed to eliminate ambiguity in supplier oversight, close regulatory loopholes, and ensure a higher baseline of governance, risk management, and consumer protection across the online gaming ecosystem.
No Room for Holdouts: Accreditation Now Critical
PAGCOR’s updated guidelines make clear that suppliers must complete formal accreditation and compliance processes if they intend to support Philippine-licensed operators. This approach surpasses the previous practice, where some suppliers relied on provisional permissions or informal recognition while the drafting of final regulations was underway.
Industry observers have interpreted PAGCOR’s stance as a clear signal that regulatory patience has ended: suppliers that delay accreditation face not only administrative hurdles but also captured enforcement actions that could limit participation in one of Asia’s most active licensed online gambling markets.
The new rules underscore key areas of regulatory scrutiny, including:
- Technical standards and system integrity
- Anti‑money laundering (AML) and counter‑terrorist financing controls
- Responsible gaming and player protection frameworks
- Auditable reporting and transparency obligations
Regulatory Context: PAGCOR’s Broader Compliance Agenda
The tighter supplier framework fits into a broader regulatory agenda advanced by PAGCOR over the past several years. In 2025, PAGCOR reported total gaming revenue declines, even as online gaming continued to dominate the market—a dynamic that has played into regulator priorities around compliance and risk controls.
In parallel, PAGCOR has been actively revising and tightening its rules for online gaming operators and suppliers, setting clear deadlines and milestones for compliance and transition to the new regulatory architecture.
Of equal relevance, PAGCOR has updated its responsible gambling requirements for online operators and related service providers, a move that complements supplier oversight by embedding stronger player protection expectations across the value chain.
What The Reform Means for Suppliers and Operators
For suppliers, the message from PAGCOR is clear: provisional status, informal approvals, or delays are no longer acceptable. Accreditation now carries strategic as well as operational importance. Those that fail to align with the updated framework risk:
- Ineligibility to service Philippine‑licensed operators
- Regulatory enforcement actions, including suspension of access or approvals
- Enhanced scrutiny in AML/KYC and technical audits
Operators that depend on third‑party suppliers should also reassess their vendor risk frameworks, ensuring that all upstream partners have initiated accreditation or compliance engagement with PAGCOR.
For the broader market, the regulator’s stance reflects a global shift in gambling compliance expectations, where supplier ecosystems are incorporated into licensing regimes to ensure end‑to‑end accountability.
Enforcement and Outlook
While PAGCOR has not yet published granular enforcement statistics tied to supplier non‑compliance, the regulator has underscored that accreditation is non‑negotiable. Officials have repeatedly stated that the supplier framework is part of a risk‑based approach intended to safeguard the integrity of the Philippine market and protect consumers.
Legal advisers and compliance professionals operating in the region have noted that suppliers should treat the accreditation process as a strategic imperative, not a bureaucratic hurdle — delays could result in exclusion from the Philippine iGaming ecosystem altogether.