Philippine
Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) is a 100 percent government-owned and controlled
corporation under the Office of the President of the Republic of the
Philippines. Its main purpose is to regulate, operate, authorize and
license games of chance, games of cards and games of numbers, particularly
casinos, gaming clubs and other similar recreational spaces in the Philippines.
Aside from regulating casinos, it operates 13 casino branches and 35 satellite
casino, collectively called Casino Filipino, in major cities.
According to the Pagcor, market shares are composed of
Casinos in Entertainment City (54%), Pagcor Casinos (20%), Electronic Gaming Sites
(15%), Casinos in Clark (10%) and Thunderbird Casinos (1%).
Philippine
Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) holds and conducts charity sweepstakes, races, and lotteries and engages
in health and welfare-related investments, projects, and activities to provide
for permanent and continuing sources of funds for its programs. The main
products of the PCSO are the sweepstakes and the lottery games.
Philippine Racing Commission (PRC) regulates horse racing.
First
Cagayan Leisure & Resort Corporation regulates and
monitors on behalf of CEZA all activities pertaining to the licensing and
operation of interactive games. Cagayan Special Economic Zone and Freeport
(CEZA) is located the province of Cagayan.
Anti-money laundering Council (AMLC) is
created to protect the integrity and confidentiality of bank accounts and to
ensure that the Philippines shall not be used as a money laundering site for
the proceeds of any unlawful activity. Casinos are officially included under
AMLC’s coverage in 2017 even though casinos claim that it has minimum effects. Single cash transactions of casinos in excess of P5
million or its equivalent in any other currency, must be reported to the
Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC).