PAGCOR orders B2B providers to finish accreditation by 31 July
The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR), the country’s gambling regulator, has set 31 July 2026 as the final deadline for business-to-business (B2B) gaming providers to complete accreditation requirements under the country’s updated online gaming framework, putting new pressure on suppliers operating in the country.
The regulator also confirmed a temporary two-month transition period beginning on 31 May 2026, allowing providers that have already submitted accreditation applications to continue servicing licensed operators while their paperwork is being processed.
Platforms can be decommissioned
However, PAGCOR warned that companies failing to complete the accreditation process by the July deadline will face serious consequences. From 1 August 2026, non-compliant providers risk having their electronic gaming systems, online platforms, games and related equipment decommissioned.
The instructions were outlined in a memo on 21 May 2026 issued by PAGCOR’s iGaming Licencing and Regulation Group and sent to Gaming System Administrators, integrated resort operators, gaming affiliates, support service providers and other industry stakeholders.
The memo comes after months of confusion across the Philippine gaming sector, with suppliers and operators both waiting for clearer direction on deadlines, compliance procedures, and whether providers could continue operating while applications were still under review.
Under the new rules, providers will need to complete several steps before accreditation is approved. These include paying a non-refundable application fee, submitting company documents and probity requirements, passing facility inspections and system testing, and posting a required performance cash deposit.
Industry experts say the latest memo finally gives operators and suppliers a clearer roadmap. Tonet Quiogue, CEO of Arden Consult, which specialises in Philippine gaming regulation, said many suppliers and operators had been seeking clarity for months on whether providers could continue servicing platforms while accreditation applications were still under review. She added that the latest PAGCOR guidance effectively benefits companies that moved early to comply with the regulator’s new framework.
Big brands leading submissions
Other analysts also noted that several major providers, including Light & Wonder and Gaming Laboratories International, were among the first to submit accreditation applications even before the rules became fully clear.
At the same time, industry advisers say more suppliers have recently begun rushing to file applications as operators tighten internal compliance standards.
Some Gaming System Administrators are now reportedly refusing to enter new business agreements unless suppliers can show proof that their accreditation applications are already underway.
PAGCOR also made clear that responsibility will not rest solely with suppliers. Operators themselves could face sanctions if they continue working with non-compliant providers after the deadline passes.
The regulator has been gradually tightening control of the Philippine online gaming sector over the past year through a series of reforms aimed at improving transparency and compliance.
Those measures include new minimum guaranteed fee requirements for operators, accreditation systems for live-dealer streaming providers and recent limits on player rebate and cashback programs. The latest accreditation push is now expected to push suppliers and operators to manage partnerships across one of Asia’s largest regulated online gaming markets.
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