Guide to Playing at a Casino in the Philippines
Casino gaming, both online and land-based, is extremely popular all over the world, and even more so in the Philippines, with the country bringing in billions of US dollars a year from their gambling industry alone.
Players looking to play at a casino in the Philippines can do so by visiting the country’s capital, where foreign players are the only ones allowed to access their casinos, or take a virtual approach and do so at one of the many online casinos available.
When it comes to playing at a casino in the Philippines, there is quite a lot to be considered before simply choosing one to play at, whether a local or a visitor to the country.
Online Gambling Laws in the Philippines
Something of a complicated topic, the laws that surround playing at a casino in the Philippines are mostly determined and controlled by the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR). This particular corporation is also government-owned and therefore has a fairly big monopoly running.
There are, however, a few regions that have been exempt from PAGCOR’s regulations, including the Cagayan Special Economic Zone (CEZA), the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) and the Aurora Special Economic Zone and Freeport Authority (APECO), which are ultimately allowed to legally issue and regulate gambling licenses.
The best thing to be aware of as a player looking to play at a casino in the Philippines is that while PAGCOR doesn’t permit online gaming from home (aside from using offshore sites) , while Cagayan only allows players from outside of the Philippines access to their casinos.
PAGCOR Casinos
For a long time, PAGCOR has managed to monopolise on the casino gaming industry, with this corporation government-owned and in control of the licensing in most parts of the Philippines, as well as being one of the country’s biggest casino owners too.
This does, however, mean that PAGCOR stands second to the government tax department as a massive contributor to the economy due to impressive revenue contributions. Overall, the company has successfully provided jobs to more than 11 000 people, spread out over various casinos in the Philippines, e-games cafes and bingo parlours.
Play at an Online Casino in the Philippines
Players looking for an online experience can expect to find a host of real money pokies Australia that are available for play.
Due to the fact that online gaming is not really provided to players living in the Philippines, many will visit offshore accounts. This not only means that players can play for real money but also means that they may get to play the games that have otherwise been unavailable to them.
Gaming Restrictions
Players looking to play at an online or land-based casino in the Philippines will encounter a problem should they wish to play Last Two, Jueteng or Masiao – whether playing at an offshore online casino or not.
The 3 games listed above have actually been banned from each and every casino in the Philippines, meaning players simply won’t find them legally available for play.