From reactive to strategic: PAGCOR’s new approach, expert says
The Philippine gaming industry is entering a new phase as the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) moves from reactive enforcement toward building long-term regulatory architecture, according to Marie Antonette Quiogue, CEO of Arden Consult.
In a year-end analysis shared on LinkedIn, Quiogue said that key reforms, including the B2B accreditation framework for service providers and the Minimum Guaranteed Fee (MGF) for gaming operators, are set to define the sector in 2026.
From reaction to architecture
Quiogue noted that 2025 began with threats of an outright ban on online gambling in the country. Senate hearings intensified scrutiny, including testimony from families affected by gambling harm. Quiogue said that she observed a pivotal shift in PAGCOR’s approach.
“Responsible gaming, in that sense, became not just the moral response, but the commercial one,” she said.
PAGCOR engaged with international regulators and operators to learn best practices in responsible gaming and enforcement. The Philippines then saw gambling advertising restrictions, tighter KYC protocols, and delinking of gaming mini-apps from e-wallets mandated by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), the country’s central bank. Quiogue said that PAGCOR’s focus is no longer on reactive measures alone but on establishing a system capable of enduring scrutiny and operational challenges.
In October 2025, PAGCOR rolled out its B2B accreditation framework, which requires game developers, marketing affiliates, and payment processors to be vetted and approved by the agency. “If you want access, you establish presence and accept oversight,” Quiogue explained.
Minimum Guaranteed Fee: Predictable revenue, market consolidation
Meanwhile, PAGCOR’s minimum guaranteed fee (MGF) will take effect on 1 April 2026. MGF imposes fixed monthly fees on gaming system administrators (GSAs) based on minimum gross gaming revenue (GGR) thresholds. E-casino operators generating PHP30 million ($509,400) monthly GGR must pay PHP9 million ($152,820), while non-casino operators at PHP15 million ($254,700) GGR pay PHP3 million ($50,940). Thresholds rise in October 2026, increasing the financial obligations for all operators.
An industry expert warned that smaller operators will feel the impact. “Looking at the current data, the new minimum guaranteed fee is going to hit smaller GSAs really hard,” John Calderon, Executive Managing Partner at Consulcy Advisory Group, earlier told SiGMA News. “Operators who are just barely making the minimum GGR could easily run into losses if they have one slow month.”
He also noted that the measure could discourage inactive or marginal license holders from entering the market. “A lot of license holders that aren’t even active probably won’t bother launching at all because the costs are too high… The market may feel more stable, but it will also be less competitive and less diverse.”
But, for Quiogue, PAGCOR’s B2B accreditation framework and MGF enforcement are expected to create a more robust and defensible iGaming sector. “If these reforms take hold, the Philippine iGaming industry that emerges will look fundamentally different from the one that preceded it,” Quiogue wrote.
“The architecture that emerged in its final months bears a clear imprint: it reflects a regulator willing to admit shortcomings, absorb political pressure, and still move forward with structural reforms.”
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