Philippines Sports Betting
Philippine Sports Betting
| Status: | Legal & Licensed |
|---|---|
| B&M Availability: | Lawful |
| Online Availability: | Legal & Licensed |
| Minimum Age: | 18+ |
| Restrictions: | None |
The Philippines’ sports betting industry is popular and widespread. Not only is the Philippines a hub for international online gambling operators, but Philippine residents love to bet on sporting events. Access to online sportsbooks has grown since a landmark appellate court decision 5 years ago, so more UK and European sportsbooks accept Philippine sports bettors these days. Since the Philippines is influenced by a unique blend of Asian, Spanish, and American cultures, Philippine punters want the widest number of sports markets available to them.
This guild to sports betting in the Philippines describes the legality of sports betting, while discussing the Philippines’ colorful gambling history. I’ll discuss the two regulators, PACGOR and the Cayagan Free Zone, while providing links to their official websites. I’ll detail the factors Philippine sports bettors want in a gaming site, while providing recommendations for the best online sportsbooks which accept Philippine bettors.
Philippines Sports Betting Legality
Online sports betting is legal in the Philippines. Cayagan Freeport licenses online gambling operators which accept Asian gamblers, while PACGOR regulates the online betting of Philippine residents. A 2012 Philippine court decision stated that no word of the country’s laws banned online gambling, so it has been confirmed through a 5-year legal process that online sportsbooks, casino sites, and poker rooms are legal. Since Rodrigo Duterte became president in July 2016, the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) raids an online casino operator, but these raids have targeted the Chinese nationals who work in the operators’ call centers, so these have more to do with illegal immigration than gambling.
President Duterte said weeks into his administration he would like to ban online gambling and he showed an inclination to shut down the 200 or so land-based electronic gaming operations of PhilWeb, but he was going after a political opponent. PACGOR since has allowed PhilWeb to continue operations, while it has done little to hamper online sports betting. One key legal decision by the Court of Appeals in the past few years provides Philippine online sports betting operations legal protection.
2012 Sixth Court of Appeals Decision
In 2012, the Sixth Court of Appeals in Pampanga ruled that a Philippine police raid on online gaming sites were illegal and the Department of Justice had committed “committed grave abuse of discretion” in conducting the raid. The case stemmed from an incident in 2006, when National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) agents raided an online casino operating in the Clark Special Economic Zone in Angeles City. The NBI cited “illegal acts punishable under Presidential Decree No. 1602”, but gaming group targeted in the raid claimed that Presidential Decree No. 1062 did not apply. The operator in that case, Edgar Lim of British Grand Vision International, filed a petition to challenge a 2009 indictment by the Philippine Department of Justice and recover millions of dollars’ worth of equipment seized by the NBI in the 2006 raid.
Safety of Online Sports Betting in Philippines
It is safe to be on sports online in the Philippines. After a landmark 2012 court decision, top international online sportsbooks accept Philippine sports bettors. Previously, Asian bookmakers were licensed by the Cayagan special economic zone, but these sites marketed to punters from other Asian nations. The online sportsbooks which Philippine sports bettors could use were licensed by PACGOR, but the betting was limited only to Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) and Asian basketball leagues.
Now, PACGOR allows bookmaker sites which offer wagers on European soccer, Asian soccer, boxing, NBA basketball, international baseball, American football (NFL), rugby, cricket, ATP and WTA tennis, PGA and LPGA golf, and Formula 1 racing. An increasing number of UK and European online sportsbooks accept Philippine sports bettors, so the safety and security levels are comparable to European online sports betting.
Catering to Philippine Sports Bettors
Sportsbooks which cater to Philippine bettors exist in a competitive market, so perks like lucrative welcome bonuses and VIP rewards are offered to new registrants. Due to five decades of governance by United States officials and alliance in the years since, the U.S. dollar is the main currency used in the Philippines. Due to the Spanish Colonial Period from 1521 to 1898, Spanish is the official language of the Philippines, though English also commonly is spoken.
Proximity to the Asian mainland means Philippine sports bettors want access to Asian sports betting markets, but Australian rules football and Rugby Union are popular. Americans brought their love of basketball and baseball to the Philippines, while games like NFL football have a certain popularity. Because of the nationwide popularity of Philippine senator and boxing superstar Manny Pacquiao, boxing has grown in popularity in recent years.
Online Sports Betting in the Philippines
A breakdown of what it’s like to bet online sports in the Philippines
Top Filipino Sports to Bet On
Currencies
Languages
These options may not be available at all sportsbooks but represent typical experiences.
Best Philippines Betting Sites
While the Philippines has a lot of bookmaker sites, some betting sites that are better than others. Below, we provide a list of recommended Philippine gambling sites that are perfect for sports betting enthusiasts. Our recommendations include one site which caters to English language sports bettors mainly, while another which offers global sports betting package, complete with 9 language options and 4 international currencies. Both bookmaker sites are well known, trusted, and safe.
Top Ranked Philippine Betting Site – Sportsbetting.ag
- Accepts all major credit cards
- Accepts Litecoin, Bitcoin other cryptos
- Large assortment of sports betting markets
- Competitive odds for betting on many sports
- European football specific bonuses offered for the Cup
Why Is Sportsbook.ag The Best?
The SportsBetting.ag betting site offers most of the biggest sports, including Football, Baseball, Basketball, and Hockey (read review). They also have other international sports like soccer, rugby, and cricket. For the avid bettor, you can use their Live Betting to place bets in real-time. Pick from among dozens of different wagers you can place on a single match-up, along with great prop bets.
SportsBetting.ag offers new members plenty of bonuses, like their 50% up to $1,000 in Free Bets using the code “SB1000“. For those that use Bitcoin, can take advantage of their $20 up to $500 Bitcoin bonus using the promo code “BETCRYPTO“. Take advantage of their bonuses, live betting, and incredible sports betting odds with a sign-up bonus of 50% Up To $1,000. Check out Sportsbetting.ag to place bets and win!
Great For Betting On International Sports – Betonline Sportsbook
- Accepts all major cryptocurrencies
- Accepts all major credit cards (Visa, MasterCard)
- Posts sports betting odds earlier than others
- Large cash or crypto deposit bonus and endless reloads
- Large bet on point spreads plus other popular sports bets
Why Bet At BetOnline?
BetOnline (read review) is one of the most versatile sites when it comes to deposit options. They accept a variety of cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Ethereum, Litecoin, and Dash. These are by far the best choice for players as they have an extremely high deposit and withdrawal amount.
BetOnline offers loads of year-round promotions for major sports. Their standard deposit bonus is 50% Up To $250 for players on their first deposit (newly signed-up). This deposit comes with a 10x rollover. They also offer several promotions such as $25 live betting freeplay, $50 mobile betting freeplay, and a risk-free $25 play prop bet. Check out BetOnline to place bets and win!
Depositing and Withdrawing in the Philippines
Philippine sports bettors have a lot of deposit and withdrawal options. Punters need to use US dollars when visiting Philippine online sportsbooks, but you’ll be able to use Spanish-language and English-language versions of most sites. Several banking methods which cater to Spanish-language bettors are included on the list below.
Philippine Deposit Options You Can Use
Philippine Withdrawal Options You Can Use
Philippines Gambling History
When Magellan landed in the Philippines in 1521, one of his crewmen wrote that he saw gambling on cockfights. During the long Spanish occupation of the Philippines, gambling on cockfighting, card dens, and billiards halls was prominent. By the mid-19th century, betting on horse races and local lotteries began. Colonial administrator Antonio de Morga wrote that casino gambling was a social problem at the time. When American officials governed the Philippines after the Spanish-American War (1898), they tried to ban gambling. By 1912, US officials decided it was hopeless and allowed charitable gambling.
During the administration of Philippine dictator Ferdinand Marcos (1965-1986), PACGOR was created by Presidential Decree 1067-A. PACGOR first owned a floating casino in 1977, but it caught fire in 1979. Due to the Presidential Decree 1869 (in 1983), PACGOR became a gaming monopoly for casinos and betting pools. In 2007, it received a mandate to operate casinos through 2032. In the past 10 years, commercial land-based casinos like Resorts World Manila, Okada Manila, and City of Dreams Manila opened. Online sportsbooks began accepting players from the Philippines, while online casinos and poker sites do the same.
Philippines Gambling Resources
Online gambling in the Philippines is legal, so long Filipino gamblers play on offshore online sportsbooks, casinos, and poker sites. Land-based gambling is regulated by PACGOR, except in the Cagayan Special Economic Zone and Freeport. The Cagayan Freeport allows foreigners to gamble, but not local residents. PACGOR, meanwhile, is both a state-run casino operator and a state regulator of gaming, though it no longer holds a gaming monopoly, as it once did.
| Website | Information |
|---|---|
| PACGOR | The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation, usually simply called PACGOR, is the main gaming regulator in the Philippines. PACGOR regulates commercial casinos, over 200 e-gaming cafes (like PhilWeb), and its 180 bingo parlors. President Rodrigo Duterte has said he wants PACGOR to get out of the casino business and simply regulate the gambling industry, but that has not happened yet. |
| First Cagayan | First Cagayan Leisure & Resort Corporation is the online gaming licensing authority for the Cagayan special administrative zone. Those wanting to see the list of operators read about the licensing process, or study an FAQ section on Philippine gaming should follow the First Cagayan link. |
