Short version
The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) historically licensed Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) to serve players outside the Philippines - never Filipino residents. In 2024, President Marcos ordered a full POGO ban, formalized by Executive Order 74 and completed by the end of 2024, with a further law signed in October 2025. PAGCOR's focus has since shifted to a domestic framework (PIGO - Philippine Inland Gaming Operator) for Filipino residents, which does not include offshore crypto casinos. Filipino residents using unlicensed offshore crypto casinos sit in a position sources describe inconsistently - some frame it as a legal gray area, others note that Republic Act No. 9287 defines unlicensed gambling as illegal in a way that could apply to the player, not just the operator. The safest reading is that this is genuinely unsettled, not a clear green light.
What PAGCOR actually regulates
Historically, PAGCOR issued two broad categories of online gambling licence: POGOs, for operators targeting only players outside the Philippines, and domestic products like e-Games and e-Bingo aimed at Filipino residents. Since the 2020 PIGO (Philippine Inland Gaming Operator) framework, land-based casinos and licensed operators can also accept bets online from players verified to be physically located in the Philippines, geo-fenced by IP address.
The POGO ban
Citing links to organized crime, human trafficking, and economic disruption, President Marcos ordered all POGO operations to cease by the end of 2024 via Executive Order 74, with all POGO licenses revoked as of 2025 and PAGCOR no longer issuing new offshore licenses. This closed off what had been the Philippines' main offshore-facing licensing channel.
Where this leaves Filipino crypto casino players
With POGOs banned and PAGCOR's remaining domestic PIGO framework not built around cryptocurrency, offshore crypto casinos serving Filipino residents today operate entirely outside PAGCOR's approved structure - regardless of what license (commonly Curaçao or Malta) they hold elsewhere. Sources genuinely differ on how this plays out for the individual player: some describe it as a legal gray area since enforcement has historically focused on operators, while others point to Republic Act No. 9287's broad definition of illegal gambling as creating real exposure for players on unlicensed sites, not just operators. Given that disagreement, treat this as a meaningfully less settled legal position than in countries where offshore play is a clearer gray area.
Before you play
- Understand that any offshore crypto casino serving Filipino residents is doing so outside PAGCOR's approved PIGO framework, following the 2024-2025 POGO ban.
- Be aware that sources disagree on individual player-level legal exposure here more than they do for most other countries on this list - this is worth treating with extra caution rather than assuming the more permissive reading.
- A PAGCOR-licensed PIGO platform, where available and offering the games you want, carries a clearer legal footing than an offshore crypto casino.