PAGCOR Gaming Employment License (GEL): Requirements for Employers and Employees

The Gaming Employment License (GEL) is an authorization issued by PAGCOR, through its Gaming Licensing and Development Department (GLDD), granting a person the privilege to be employed as a gaming employee in the Philippines. It is a pre-employment and continuing requirement: no employer may hire or keep an individual employed in a gaming establishment without an active GEL, and employees without one cannot be deployed for duty. Applications and renewals are not filed by workers themselves — they must be coursed through the employer or prospective employer, which also pays the fees on the employee's behalf.

Who must secure a GEL

Under the GEL Manual, the following must apply:

• Regular or contractual employees hired by the employer, including outsourced personnel or those hired through employment agencies whose services are shared between gaming and non-gaming operations.
• Outsourced personnel whose tasks require handling or direct contact with gaming equipment, casino cash, chips, or tokens — such as dealers, slot machine technicians, attendants, cashiers, bingo ticket sellers, callers, and gaming assistants.
• Consultants with participation or involvement in gaming operations.

Employees whose position titles and job descriptions clearly have no gaming involvement, as certified by the licensee, generally need not apply. The same exemption covers hotel staff, concessionaire staff, drivers, maintenance and utility personnel, and security guards. A licensee with combined gaming and hotel operations must submit an undertaking that any hotel employee reassigned to gaming will obtain a GEL before assuming the gaming position.

Documentary requirements for a new GEL

The employer must ensure the applicant submits:

• Birth Certificate — certified true copy from the Philippine Statistics Authority or its foreign counterpart; the applicant must be at least 21 years old at application.
• NBI Clearance — valid at submission, with the exact name and no derogatory record. The licensee may, at its discretion, endorse an applicant with a derogatory record if the offense is not among the termination causes in Annex C.
• Medical Certificate — valid at submission, with "fit to work" stated and signed by the physician with license number.
• Drug Test — optional, if required by the employer; must be negative.
• Photo — 2x2 inches, taken within the last six months, in color.

Foreign applicants must add a valid passport, a DOLE employment permit, and a working visa from the Bureau of Immigration and Deportation. Former executives or managers applying within one year of separation from another gaming employer must submit a certification from the previous employer that no restrictive covenant bars the move, or that the restriction is waived. Without it, the GEL is deemed suspended for one year from separation.

Employer obligations and the ERN

The employer designates an Authorized Signatory, a GEL Liaison Officer, and an alternate, whose contact details must be provided to PAGCOR. The liaison officer is PAGCOR's contact person, receives the monthly Statement of Account, ensures the GEL number is printed on company IDs, verifies that applicants are not in the Terminated Employees Database (TED) or the National Database of Restricted Persons (NDRP), and files GEL documents in a subfolder of the employee's 201 file.

The employer must also submit a master list of positions with classifications, pay all application and renewal fees, and issue monthly notices reminding employees that their GEL must remain active. The GEL number must be printed on the company ID no later than one month after issuance.

Fees and validity

New application fees are P5,000 for executives, P3,000 for managerial, P1,500 for supervisory, and P1,000 for rank and file. Renewal fees are lower if filed within the grace period of 30 days before up to 30 days after expiration. The GEL is valid for three years, reckoned from the holder's date of birth, and the GEL number is non-transferable. PAGCOR employees' GELs are valid indefinitely unless suspended, revoked, or cancelled.

Non-compliance and penalties

Deploying an employee without an active GEL, or hiring someone listed in the TED or NDRP, carries a P10,000 penalty per employee. Failure to maintain the GEL subfolder or to indicate the GEL number on the company ID also carries penalties. Late remittance of fees and penalties is subject to 60% per annum interest, and penalties must be settled within 15 calendar days from receipt of a Notice of Non-Compliance.

Frequently asked questions

Can I apply for a PAGCOR GEL on my own? No. All applications, renewals, and reinstatements must be coursed through the employer or prospective employer, which endorses the application and pays the fees.

How long is a PAGCOR gaming employment license valid? Three years, reckoned from the date of birth of the holder. Renewal must be filed within 30 days before up to 30 days after expiration.

What happens if an employee is deployed without a GEL? The employer faces a P10,000 penalty per employee, and the employee cannot be deployed for duty until an active GEL is issued.

Practical takeaways

• The GEL is mandatory before hiring or signing an employment contract for gaming-involved positions.
• Applications go through the employer, never the employee alone.
• Keep complete documents in the employee's 201 file subfolder — PAGCOR conducts compliance verification.
• Verify applicants against the TED and NDRP before endorsement.
• Settle fees and penalties on time to avoid interest and suspension of online system access.

Primary sources

The rules discussed above are drawn from the following PAGCOR issuances, embedded here in full for your reference.

Gaming Employment License Manual Version 4.0Open in Law LibraryDownload PDF

Gaming Employment License Manual for Employers version 3.0Open in Law LibraryDownload PDF

This article is general information and not legal advice. For your specific situation, consult a lawyer or ask ASG Legal AI.