The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) has announced a huge increase of 49% in net income for the first three quarters of 2025, amounting in $243 million.
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Philippines DOJ strengthens anti-money laundering efforts
The Philippines Department of Justice (DOJ) will continue its efforts against money laundering and financial crime, even after the country was removed from the European Commission’s list of high-risk jurisdictions.
The Philippines was removed from the list last week. According to the European Commission, the country had fixed major gaps in its anti-money laundering (AML) and counter-terrorism financing (CFT) systems.
Back in 2024, the Philippines was removed from the FATF (Financial Action Task Force) “grey list” after being listed since 2021, as a result of concerns about casino-related money laundering and weak terrorism financing laws.
To exit the list, the Philippines implemented an 18-point plan, including more investigations and prosecutions, tighter rules for non-financial institutions such as casinos, and better fraud detection tools.
Casinos were not included under AML laws until 2017, when the government expanded the law to include all gaming operations. Since then, the Philippines has introduced different strict measures, including a POGO ban in 2024 due to connections with scams and trafficking.
While officials and local media welcomed the EU decision, they stressed the need to stay alert.
FAQs
Is gambling legal in the Philippines?
Gambling is legal in the Philippines and regulated by the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) and other local authorities.
What is the legal gambling age in the Philippines?
The legal gambling age in the Philippines is 21 years old for casino gambling and 18 years old for lotteries and other forms of betting.
The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) has issued an official statement, clarifying that its National Database of Restricted Persons (NDRP) is not a list of...
