PAGCOR aims to find a joint venture partner for its online casino brand, casinofilipino.com, by early Q2 2025 through a procurement process.
The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (PAGCOR), the country’s gaming regulatory body, is moving forward with plans to establish its own online casino brand, casinofilipino.com. According to PAGCOR Chairman and CEO Alejandro Tengco, the agency aims to identify a joint venture partner by the end of the first quarter or early in the second quarter of 2025. This will be done through a formal procurement process, marking a key milestone in the project’s development. If all goes as planned, casinofilipino.com could go live as soon as the second quarter of 2025.
Tengco confirmed that PAGCOR is committed to ensuring the online casino is developed responsibly and in compliance with regulatory requirements. The procurement process to secure a joint venture partner is expected to begin in earnest in January 2025. Tengco emphasized that the selection of a partner would be handled through a fair bidding process, ensuring transparency and accountability.
“You cannot just award it to somebody…without going through a procurement process,” said Tengco in an interview with GGRAsia during a Macau event organized by casino equipment supplier LT Game Ltd. The goal, he added, is to identify a company that can help bring the vision for casinofilipino.com to life, offering a wide range of online gaming options to Filipino players.
A Comprehensive Online Gaming Experience
Once launched, casinofilipino.com will not be limited to traditional online slots. Tengco outlined a broad vision for the online casino, which will feature a diverse array of gaming products. These will include live slots, as well as Random Number Generator (RNG)-based games. RNG technology is commonly used for electronic table games, ensuring fair outcomes through software-driven randomness.
In addition to these options, PAGCOR plans to introduce live streaming services, featuring real-time baccarat games and possibly other popular casino titles. This will allow players to engage in a full-spectrum gaming experience from the comfort of their homes. Tengco described the offering as an “all-encompassing menu” that would cater to a wide variety of player preferences.
“We will not only have live slots, but also RNG games being played online,” Tengco stated. “We also [will] have live streaming of studios that are having baccarat games.”
This initiative is part of PAGCOR’s broader strategy to expand the country’s regulated online gaming market. The launch of casinofilipino.com is expected to play a significant role in reshaping the landscape of the Philippines' digital gaming industry.
Delayed Timelines and Adjusted Plans
While the original timeline for casinofilipino.com had initially targeted a launch in the first quarter of 2024, the project has faced several delays. Tengco acknowledged that the timeline has been adjusted multiple times, with the new target for going live now set for the second quarter of 2025. This adjustment reflects the complexities involved in launching such a major initiative and ensuring all necessary regulatory, technological, and business processes are in place.
The online casino project follows the government's broader plans to restructure the country’s gaming sector. In March 2023, PAGCOR had announced plans to sell off the land-based Casino Filipino properties, which include a chain of casinos located throughout the Philippines. The sale was expected to raise up to P80 billion (US$1.36 billion). However, as the process progressed, the projected revenue from the sale has been revised downward to P50 billion, and the timeline for the sale has also shifted.
Initially, the sale of the land-based operations was scheduled to begin in 2024, but the process is now expected to start in 2026 due to changes that need to be made to PAGCOR’s charter. Tengco noted that the agency would need to invest in upgrading the gaming equipment at the Casino Filipino properties before any sale could take place, which has contributed to the delay.
Read related article: ACN Spotlight: NYCE On How PAGCOR Can Shift to Regulatory Role
Comments