Online Gambling Companies In Philippines
Philippine offshore gaming operators are companies that provide online gambling services to foreigners. Think Poker, Blackjack, and Roulette, only they're all facilitated via an online medium, with a virtual dealer often being played by a woman dressed in skimpy clothes on the screen. Gaming operators and companies operating in certain zones of online gaming jurisdiction are entitled to numerous benefits and tax incentives in the Philippines. 4 – 6 income tax holiday for qualifying (4 years for non-pioneer firms and 6 years for pioneers).
- Online Gambling Companies In Philippines International
- List Of Online Gambling Companies In The Philippines
- The actual country of the Philippines has a very different approach to online gaming. The state-owned and -controlled Philippines Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) is the sole authorized gambling operator in the Philippines.
- Online Sports Betting - Philippines Pindutin ito para sa Ingles na bersyon The Philippines is a friendly country for online betting and has legal sports betting sites, online casinos and even online bingo. Our expert team has researched the market and found the best bookmakers for Filipinos.
This still made from video shows a live stream baccarat game
Chinese companies are circumventing domestic laws that prohibit online gambling by directing their Chinese clientele to their operations based in neighboring countries and regions. The Philippines is reportedly among the most popular places for such operations.
As reported by the Los Angeles Times, Chinese online tycoons have established companies in the Philippines and hired Chinese staff to operate gaming facilities to service players on the mainland. By operating in such a fashion, these companies seek to escape the reach of Chinese authorities.
In its report, the Los Angeles Times notes that among the most popular games accessed via these platforms is “Tencent Every-Minute-Lottery,” which generates winning numbers based on the total number of users logged into a Chinese messaging app.
The report noted that the Philippines has been transformed into a large base for online gambling companies – and it continues to grow bigger.
While online gaming is a regulated activity in the Philippines, residents can only enjoy legal online gaming if the games are licensed and regulated by a legitimate offshore jurisdiction. Authorities in the Southeast Asian country are willing to license online gaming platforms based in the Philippines as long as they do not target Philippine residents.
Most of the sites targeting gamblers in China feature live streams from Manila of baccarat tables replete with croupiers.
Demand from the Chinese market is expected to drive gambling revenue in the Philippines to USD4.1 billion (MOP33 billion) this year, up from about $1 billion in 2016, Philippine government sources say.
But these large sums are still dwarfed by Macau. Last year, gaming revenue in the SAR exceeded MOP300 billion, nine times more than that of the Philippines.
The business is lucrative for the Philippine government. Government sources say that the annual licensing fees for such operations are as much as $140 million (MOP1.1 billion). Last year, there was a revenue increase of more than 11 times the amount generated in 2016, which now makes it the third-largest source of government revenue after taxes and customs duties.
It is estimated that at least 100,000 people from mainland China have moved to Manila to work as gambling company marketing agents, tech support specialists, and engineers catering to the Mandarin- speaking clientele.
“Everybody is after the Chinese customer, because they’re the biggest market and they’re the biggest gamblers,” said Rosalind Wade, the Manila-based managing director of Asia Gaming Brief, a research and consulting firm.
The President of the Philippines, Rodrigo Duterte, who once railed against the industry as a vector for crime, recently called for its expansion.
“That gambling-gambling,” Duterte told supporters at a recent rally. “I cannot control it.”
Seemingly contributing to this boom is the announced “realignment with China.” According to the Philippine tourism department, the annual number of Chinese tourists is expected to double within the next two years.
The Los Angeles Times also said that during the course of the investigation, it found that in the Philippine VIP rooms, the biggest bets were being placed remotely via Chinese-speaking staff using tablets and headsets to communicate with gamblers who were watching the live action from a different location.
This “proxy betting,” as the practice is commonly called, is outlawed in all but only a handful of countries because little is known about the remote gamblers. It was banned in Macau by the Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau in 2016.
That it is welcome in the Philippines underscores the lengths the country will go to court Chinese money.
According to media outlets in the Philippines, several crackdowns have recently taken place, leading to the arrest of dozens of Chinese staff members from these companies. Reportedly not all of the operating companies and platforms are legal or operating under the licensing of the local gaming regulator.
However, it is also understood that both the Philippines and China have been have been lax in the enforcement of their laws in order to allow the industry to thrive.
Online Gambling Companies In Philippines International
Why Use Foreign Betting Sites?
Firstly, online gambling is not crime. In January 2012, the appeals court confirmed it is not illegal for residents of the Philippines to use foreign online gambling sites.
This was an important ruling for poker because there are no licensed Filipino poker sites that offer the volume of a site like PokerStars.
This is the most popular site in the world and the one most Filipinos also use. With this ruling, many are now also looking abroad for online sports betting alternatives.
The reason why is; PAGCOR licensed bookies are not known for offering the best odds. Using the English Premier League as an example, by shopping around with foreign betting sites it is easy to find better odds on all selections.
Our expert team have never found a PAGCOR licensed betting source offering the best odds on a sporting event. There’s also the fact that foreign betting sites offer in-play, live betting, have more markets, and also support other gambling products such as online poker.
The challenge is, while it is not illegal to use foreign betting sites, many of these websites do not accept residents of the Philippines. This is because many have business operations in the country.
This includes Asian bookmakers licensed in Cagayan Freeport and betting sites broadcasting their live dealer casinos in the Philippines. Other companies also have phone support centres in the country.
Legal Status and Licencing
The Cagayan Economic Zone Authority (CEZA) licenses many Asian bookies. The CEZA is the regulator and provides licences in the northern Filipino region of Cagayan. These websites do not accept Filipinos, because Cagayan is more of a legal haven for operators targeting other Asian countries.
The domestic websites Filipinos can use are licensed by the government-owned Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR). For many years PAGCOR licensed sites only offered casino games, PBA odds and some other Asian basketball leagues and competitions.
List Of Online Gambling Companies In The Philippines
If you live in the Philippines, you know it’s not difficult to find betting terminals and to find PAGCOR websites for sports betting, casino games and bingo. What can be hard is finding foreign gambling sites that accept Filipinos and have good banking options available.
- Fully licensed and certified by independent regulators.
- Approved for secure financial transactions and data protection.
- Reputation for dealing with complaints quickly and fairly.
How to Deposit and Cashout
Those new to online betting from the Philippines will find there are lots of easy to use banking methods. They include:
Visa and Mastercard – As with most online transactions, at our recommended bookmakers there is an option to use bank transfers. Visa and Mastercard are 2 of the most popular choices, however individual bookmakers may differ.
Skrill – Skrill is a great option if you are looking for an e-wallet to fund your betting account. Most bookmakers accept Skrill and the service provides security, convenience and anonymity.
Skrill has a great reputation and has been operating since 2002 – although it was originally called Moneybookers. If you are a Skrill user, visit our recommended sites above to fund your account.
NETELLER – One of the best methods for moving money between online betting sites and cashing out winnings is NETELLER. The challenge is NETELLER accounts are very difficult to fund from the Philippines and to cash out you need to have deposited at least once with this method.
If you have a friend living in a country where NETELLER is fully supported, you should open an account and have them transfer money to it. Once you get money into your NETELLER account, you should deposit the minimum at each of the gambling sites you intend to use. This way you are ready to take advantage of any great odds you see.
You can also apply for a NETELLER prepaid MasterCard. These are free and take almost a month to arrive after you apply online. With this card, you can access your NETELLER balance at any ATM machine or spend funds at any store that accepts MasterCard.
Bitcoin – More and more online bookmakers are now accepting banking through cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin. Digital currencies offer users anonymity and security through advanced encryptions.
If you use Bitcoin or an alternative cryptocurrency, check out our recommended sites to see if they accept this as an option to fund your account.
Using Multiple Betting Sites
If you use any of the banking methods suggested above, moving money between different betting accounts should be simple. If you’re serious about making the most money betting on sports, it’s important to use multiple websites and shop the odds to find value.
Before placing a bet, check out the betting sites where you have money in your account and look to see which one offers the best odds. While it might seem trivial over small amounts, this often makes a big difference.
Regular sports bettors understand small amounts of money add up and always make sure they get the best odds. All our recommended sites have brilliant odds. However, if you open multiple accounts with the different bookmakers we recommend, you will find slight differences in odds that you can take advantage of.
The Most Popular Sports in the Philippines
Today it’s possible to bet on the world’s most popular sports with Philippines licensed bookies. Filipino’s have a passion for lots of different sports, but none more so than basketball. The sport is a national obsession for both playing, watching and betting.
Sport doesn’t stop with basketball though and some of the most popular sports in the Philippines are also loved around the world. The worlds biggest soccer leagues and competitions are watched avidly by Filipinos, from the Champions League and World Cup to PFL and J-League.
Other common Filipino sports include esports, boxing, MMA, tennis and baseball.
PBA Online Betting in the Philippines
The Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) is the top basketball league in the Philippines. PBA betting is a common pastime as punters love to increase the excitement and bet on their favourite teams.
As PBA online betting has increased over the years, so have the number of PBA betting sites. You can now go online at one of our recommended sites and find stats, PBA betting odds and bet on the biggest games.
One of the big advantages of online PBA betting is convenience. Before you had to go to a bookmaker in person, which can often be intimidating or awkward. Now you can check out the latest PBA online betting odds and make your bets from the comfort of your own home.
NBA Betting
The PBA may be loved by Filipinos, but the NBA and NBA betting is popular across the globe. The Philippines is a hotbed for the NBA and Filipinos love to make bets at online NBA betting sites.
Just like PBA betting, NBA online betting gives you so much more freedom than using traditional bookmakers. There’s also a huge amount of information online that can help you out when you start NBA betting.
You can check statistics, form, injuries and more. Having this extra knowledge can turn your NBA online betting experience from good to great.
At our recommended betting sites, you can always find a huge range of sports to bet on. It doesn’t matter if you want to bet on small, local events or global occasions such as the World Cup.
Philippines Betting FAQs
Yes. Filipinos can legally bet with any foreign sportsbook. Signing up with a new site has lots of benefits, including generous welcome bonuses.
There are lots of great online betting sites available, but there are also some ones to avoid too. Ensure your chosen site has proper licencing, banking and a good reputation.
This depends on what payment option you are using. Bank transfers usually take between 1-3 days, but this can vary. E-wallet payments can be processed in just a few minutes.
Yes, you can sign up and play at other sports betting sites by using a VPN. This allows you to use the internet as if you are in another country.