Summary: Basher Agency runs player acquisition, CRM, SEO and media buying for gaming operators licensed by PAGCOR to serve players inside the Philippines. Since the offshore ban (Executive Order No. 74, November 2024, and the Anti-POGO Act of 2025), the only online market left is the domestic one, and its advertising rules got stricter in July 2025. Every rule on this page links to PAGCOR or to the law itself, checked on 5 November 2026.
Who regulates online gaming in the Philippines?
The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) regulates and licenses gaming inside the country. Outside land-based casinos, its Electronic Gaming Licensing Department (EGLD) licenses local operations that offer eBingo, eCasino games, sports betting, specialty games, online poker and numeric games. Under that framework, the online platform is an adjunct service of a licensed gaming venue for its registered players, and PAGCOR approves each platform and the games deployed on it.
In practice this means an operator does not "buy a PAGCOR online licence" and market it worldwide. It holds a gaming licence tied to the Philippine market, its platform provider is accredited by PAGCOR, and its marketing is aimed at players in the country. PAGCOR keeps publishing changes to this model: in July 2026 the EGLD issued memoranda on a Unified Gaming License for gaming venue operations and on post-operational duties for B2B providers (EGLD announcements). Anyone planning a launch should read that page before signing a platform deal.
What happened to POGOs?
Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators are gone, and the ban is now law. Executive Order No. 74 ordered the immediate ban of offshore gaming in November 2024, and PAGCOR states on its Remote Operations notice that all Internet Gaming Licensees and Authorized Providers were cancelled effective 15 December 2024. PAGCOR adds that any website claiming to hold a valid offshore or internet gaming licence from it is fraudulent.
Congress then passed Republic Act No. 12312, the Anti-POGO Act of 2025, dated 23 October 2025. It declares offshore gaming operations unlawful and repeals RA 11590, the 2021 law that taxed them.
For marketers, the consequence is simple. A "PAGCOR licence" badge on a site that targets players in other countries is a red flag, and an agency that runs that traffic is exposed too. Basher does not take that work.
What are PAGCOR's advertising rules?
PAGCOR's Responsible Gaming Code of Practice, version 6.0 sets the base rules for every ad, in print, TV, radio, websites, blogs, social media, email, SMS, posters, billboards and vehicle wraps:
- Ads must be socially responsible. They cannot be aimed at people under 21, feature people who are or look under 21, or suggest that gambling solves money problems.
- Ads cannot imply that skill guarantees a win, present gambling as a way to make money, or mislead about odds and prizes.
- Every ad carries the under-21 prohibition mark and PAGCOR's responsible gaming tagline.
- Billboards cannot sit within 200 metres of schools, places of worship, public markets and other listed locations.
The legal age in these rules is 21, not 18. Creative recycled from European or Latin American campaigns with 18+ marks needs to be redone.
Out-of-home advertising changed in 2025. PAGCOR's GLDD announcements list a memorandum on the immediate removal of billboards and other out-of-home ads (17 July 2025), a new responsible gaming tagline (28 July 2025) and a memo on the use of billboard and out-of-home spaces (14 August 2025). We check the current tagline with PAGCOR before each campaign instead of reusing last year's artwork.
How Basher works in the Philippines
We work for PAGCOR-licensed operators and their accredited platform and game providers. The work splits in four lines.
Acquisition that survives the ad rules. With billboards off the table, paid social, search and affiliates carry more of the load. Google and Meta both ask for local licence documentation before they approve a gambling advertiser, so we set up the ad accounts with the PAGCOR licence on file, run 21+ audience targeting and keep the tagline and age mark in every creative. Our media buying team handles pre-clearance per platform.
SEO for a market full of fake licences. Philippine search results for casino and eBingo terms are crowded with offshore sites claiming PAGCOR approval. A licensed operator can use that: pages that show the licence, explain how to verify it and link to PAGCOR rank and convert well with players who have been burned before. We build those pages and the technical base under them through our casino SEO service.
CRM for high frequency, small deposits. Filipino players deposit small amounts often and pay through e-wallets. Retention journeys, bonus rules and reactivation timing need to match that rhythm. Bonus messaging also has to stay inside the RG code, which rules out "win money" framing. Our managed CRM team runs this on the operator's own platform.
Creative in the language players use. Taglish for casual content, Filipino for sports and brand work, English for VIP. Basketball dominates the sports calendar. We produce the creative and run it past the RG code before it goes live.
SiGMA Asia and the Manila calendar
Manila is the regional meeting point for Asian gaming. SiGMA Asia held its 2026 edition in Manila, and it is the event where Basher meets Philippine operators and suppliers. The B2B side of the region (platforms, game studios, payments and affiliates serving licensed markets across Asia) is covered on our Singapore and APAC B2B page. For market data, channel mix and payment methods in more depth, read our Philippines market guide.
Why operators work with Basher
Basher Agency was founded in 2020 and is led by Andrés Villagómez Chiang (CEO and co-founder) and Alonso Torres (co-founder). The team is made up of people who ran acquisition, CRM and media buying inside licensed casino and sportsbook brands. In 2025 the agency won AffPapa Agency of the Year, SiGMA EURO-MED Best Marketing Solution Provider and an EGR Award for marketing campaigns. More on the team in About Basher Agency.
We do not work with unlicensed operators, offshore brands that target the Philippines without a PAGCOR licence, or former POGO businesses looking for a new label.
FAQs
Is online gambling legal in the Philippines?
Yes, through PAGCOR-licensed operators serving players in the Philippines. PAGCOR's Electronic Gaming Licensing Department licenses eBingo, eCasino, sports betting, online poker and other games, with the online platform attached to a licensed gaming venue. Offshore gaming for foreign players is banned by RA 12312 (2025).
Are POGO licences still valid?
No. PAGCOR cancelled all Internet Gaming Licensees and Authorized Providers effective 15 December 2024, after Executive Order No. 74. The Anti-POGO Act of 2025 (RA 12312) made the ban permanent. PAGCOR says any site claiming a valid offshore licence from it is fraudulent.
What age limit applies to gambling ads in the Philippines?
- PAGCOR's Responsible Gaming Code of Practice bars ads aimed at people under 21 or featuring people who are or appear to be under 21, and requires the under-21 prohibition mark on every ad.
Can gaming operators still use billboards in the Philippines?
Not in the way they did before July 2025. PAGCOR issued a memorandum on 17 July 2025 ordering the immediate removal of billboard and other out-of-home ads, followed by a 14 August 2025 memo on the use of those spaces. Check PAGCOR's GLDD announcements for the current position before booking any outdoor media.
Does Basher work with Philippine operators without a PAGCOR licence?
No. Basher works only with PAGCOR-licensed operators, their accredited providers, and applicants with a documented licensing process.
Talk to us
If you hold a PAGCOR licence, or you supply platforms or games to licensees, and you want a second opinion on acquisition, SEO or CRM in the Philippines, send us a message through the contact form. A senior strategist reads it and replies.