Gaming System Provider Accreditation in the Philippines: PAGCOR Rules
How to get accredited as a gaming system provider in the Philippines: PAGCOR requirements, capital, fees, cash bond, and the step-by-step process.
Only corporations duly registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) may be accredited by PAGCOR as a gaming system provider — now formally called a Gaming System Administrator (GSA) — to supply electronic gaming systems and game content to PAGCOR-licensed gaming venues. Accreditation is granted separately for each game offering, so an applicant must choose which activity it is applying for. The applicant must meet PAGCOR probity standards, submit complete documentary requirements, pay a non-refundable accreditation fee, pass an ocular inspection and system testing, and post a cash bond before commencing operations.
Who may apply and what accreditation covers
Under PAGCOR's regulatory frameworks, only SEC-registered corporations may apply for accreditation as a service provider or Gaming System Administrator. Accreditation is not a single, all-purpose license: it is granted independently and separately for each gaming activity or game offering. A provider accredited for one offering cannot use that accreditation to supply another without a separate approval.
The GSA provides the electronic gaming system (EGS) — the software, servers, databases, communications technology, and proprietary hardware used to conduct gaming — together with the approved suite of games. Operators may procure gaming systems and equipment only from accredited providers.
Documentary and capital requirements
For accreditation as a Gaming System Service Provider for Electronic Games, Electronic Bingo, Sports Betting, and Specialty Games, the applicant submits a duly filled-out application form together with company-related requirements, including:
- Company profile and a detailed location sketch of the company office;
- Latest General Information Sheet duly filed with the SEC;
- Articles of Incorporation and By-Laws duly approved by the SEC;
- SEC Registration Certificate showing the required capitalization of PhP100 million authorized capital stock and PhP25 million paid-up capital;
- Mayor's Permit, BIR Registration Certificate, and other photocopied licenses for the relevant gaming activities.
The applicant must also submit an original bank certification with a minimum of PhP50 million, pay a non-refundable PhP5 million accreditation fee for each gaming activity, and show the capability to provide the required services and equipment to PAGCOR's standards. Servers for the gaming system must be located physically in a Tier 1 Data Center within the Philippines or provided through cloud computing services.
The accreditation process, step by step
- File the application with the E-Games/E-Bingo Licensing Department (EGLD). Only applications with complete requirements are considered received. Incomplete applications are returned and must be resubmitted once the deficiencies are addressed.
- Evaluation of compliance. Once the application is evaluated as compliant, the PAGCOR Inspection Team conducts an ocular site inspection of the facility and tests the gaming platform or system and games, player registration, and income reporting, among others.
- Recommendation to the Board. The application is recommended to the PAGCOR Board of Directors for approval only upon complete documentary compliance, payment of the non-refundable PhP5 million accreditation fee per gaming activity, satisfactory inspection and testing results, and compliance with probity requirements.
- Post the cash bond. Once approved, the provider must post to PAGCOR the required cash bond of PhP50 million.
- Notice to Commence Gaming Operations. After all pre-commencement requirements are met, the EGLD issues the Notice to Commence Gaming Operations, and only then may the provider offer its services to PAGCOR licensees.
Continuing obligations after accreditation
Accreditation carries obligations that continue for as long as the provider operates. The provider must establish or contract a required number of gaming venues within prescribed periods, and non-compliance is a ground for penalties of PhP200,000 per lacking gaming site per month or any fraction thereof.
The provider's gaming system must not accept bets emanating outside the Philippines and must not be accessible in any way outside the country. Providers must also give 24/7 technical support, marketing and customer account management services, and training for front-line staff. Under the Gaming System Administrator framework, providers must comply with the Anti-Money Laundering Council rules and the Data Privacy Act, report changes in ownership or board membership to the EGLD, and submit yearly documents to validate compliance with PAGCOR probity standards.
Any misrepresentation, breach, or circumvention of the framework's conditions is a ground for immediate blacklisting, suspension, and revocation of accreditation.
Frequently asked questions
Can a foreign-owned company get PAGCOR accreditation as a gaming system provider? The framework requires the applicant to be a corporation duly registered with the SEC and to meet PAGCOR's probity standards. Ownership structure is assessed under the probity requirements, so the corporate and ownership documents must be prepared carefully before filing.
How much does PAGCOR accreditation cost? The framework prescribes a non-refundable PhP5 million accreditation fee for each gaming activity, a PhP50 million bank certification at application, and a PhP50 million cash bond upon approval, on top of the required PhP100 million authorized and PhP25 million paid-up capital.
Is accreditation the same for every game? No. Accreditation is granted independently and separately for each gaming activity or game offering. An entity accredited in multiple offerings may develop a unified platform, but PAGCOR Share is still imposed individually per gaming activity.
Practical takeaways
- Only SEC-registered corporations may apply; prepare corporate, capital, and permit documents before filing.
- Accreditation is per gaming activity — budget for the PhP5 million fee for each one.
- Expect an ocular inspection and actual testing of the gaming system before Board approval.
- The PhP50 million cash bond must be posted before the Notice to Commence Gaming Operations issues.
- Post-accreditation compliance — venue targets, reporting, AMLC and Data Privacy Act rules — is actively monitored and penalized.
Primary sources
The rules discussed above are drawn from the following issuances, embedded here in full for your reference.
Regulatory Framework for the Accreditation of Gaming System AdministratorsOpen in Law LibraryDownload PDF
PAGCOR Technical Standards for EGMs v1.0Open in Law LibraryDownload PDF
Regulatory Framework for The Accreditation of Gaming System Service Providers for Electronic Games, Electronic Bingo, Sports Betting, and Specialty GamesOpen 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.
This topic sits within our Corporate Law & Governance practice.
Related reading
How a foreign-owned corporation applies for a PAGCOR gaming licence: SEC registration, foreign ownership rules, documentary requirements, and fees.
Is there a minimum capital for a foreign company in the Philippines? Learn what the Revised Corporation Code and the Foreign Investments Act require.
Learn the ROHQ registration Philippines requirements under RA 8756, from the $200,000 inward remittance to the SEC license and BOI recommendation.
Register your foreign-owned Philippine company with the BIR within 30 days of SEC issuance. Here is the step-by-step BIR tax registration process.
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