Best online casinos in Philippines (2023)
The Philippines, an island country located in Southeast Asia, is the world’s 13th most populous nation. Wagering is considered locals’ favourite pastime. Cockfighting betting (sabong) is more of a national tradition. More than 40% of adult males participate in some form of gambling at least once a month. When it comes to online casino, Philippines law framework is tricky in a word. However, Filipinos have a wide array of casino sites to choose from; especially international ones that widely accept them. So, we reviewed legit brands that offer payments in Philippine pesos (PHP) and a massive variety of slots. Above all, you can enjoy a tax-free environment; compared to the domestic casinos where you have to declare and pay 10% of your net profit.
Best Philippine online casino sites
If you’ve been wondering which is the best online casino in the Philippines, the following list can help you find out. It features websites that come with top-notch welcome bonuses, mobile-friendly platforms and distinguished licensing.
Best Online Casinos Philippines
How to find the best online casino Philippines
Indeed, as a Filipino, you have many playgrounds to opt for. Nonetheless, not all of them are of the same quality. That’s why we will analyze some required characteristics that, according to us, will help you make the correct choice and select a legit online casino in the Philippines.
Top-notch bonuses
Shall we all agree that before registering at any Philippines casino online, you’ll check the offers page to confirm they offer appealing bonuses? Of course, it is a rhetorical question, as all players want to benefit from them. Most brands offer a sign-up bonus along with free spins (e.g. 100% up to 7,000 PHP + 100 free spins). Some of them boost it even more with a package for your initial deposits that can give you up to 30,000 PHP. Other offers comprise reload bonuses, sets of free spins, no deposit or loyalty bonuses and cashbacks. Don’t get dazzled by the big numbers, as the rollover requirements are more than challenging in some cases. To be able to cash out your winnings, check the T&Cs for wagering, which shouldn’t surpass 50x your bonus amount.
Licensing & Reliability
As we mentioned above, the gambling law framework is a bit complex, and currently, there is no casino Filipino online that accepts locals. So, you are allowed to play only at international casino sites. Since the market is open, the options are countless, but you should opt for casinos with licensing from accredited gambling authorities such as UKGC and MGA. Hence, you can always be sure that your data and payment info is protected, and of course, you’ll get your winnings at the end of the day.
Slots and games variety
We selected and listed online casinos that offer a wide range of slots and games by top software providers. In each brand, you can spin the reel in 1000+ titles, even with a progressive jackpot. You can also play popular table games in RNG mode, or with real dealers, such as roulette, blackjack, baccarat, poker and bingo. Whichever you select, one thing is sure, your options will be unlimited. Practically, only one land-based casino, Okada in Manila, can compete with the variety that online casino sites come with.
PHP payments
Filipinos can thankfully enjoy quite a lot of online casinos that offer payments in the local currency, the Philippine peso (PHP). As you can imagine, a country with a population of over 100 million has a particular dynamic and demand; thus, operators have primarily adapted. If you opt for one of them, you won’t have to pay conversion fees for every transaction you make; nor you’ll have to estimate approximately the bonus amounts you’ll get.
How do online casinos in the Philippines operate
Almost all forms of gambling in the Philippines are deemed legal, and they fall under the jurisdiction of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR). The state-owned gambling regulator was established in 1976 and now operates under the Gaming License and Development Department (GLDD). It is mainly responsible for issuing licenses and supervising domestic operators that run brick-and-mortar establishments throughout the country.
As for casino online in Philippines, the situation is quite complex. There are about 60 firms known as Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs). These are brands licensed by PAGCOR that offer their services to markets outside the Philippines. All PAGCOR licensed casinos, both land-based and online, are subject to a 25% GGR tax; plus, an additional 5% franchise tax.
Except for PAGCOR, there is also another gambling regulator based in the Philippines, established in 2003. The First Cagayan Leisure and Resort Corporation (FCLRC), located in the Cagayan Special Economic Zone and Freeport. The tricky part comes with the licensees again, as FCLRC regulates only foreign operators. The bottom line is that every locally based licensed online casino in the Philippines is not allowed to offer its services to local players. The law, however, is unambiguous and doesn’t restrict players from playing there, but it only mentions operators. So, in reality, players can easily opt for international online casinos that widely accept them, provided that they are 18 or above.
Are the Philippines casino online sites safe?
More and more players recently turned to online casinos, and we mention that because traditionally, Filipinos preferred land-based establishments that flourish in the country. The hard part is to opt for a casino that covers the safety aspect adequately. We mean that, since the government has established loose online gambling laws, without even having a blacklist, every international operator can practically infiltrate the domestic market. Hence, it is essential to do some research and eventually select a legit online casino in Philippines. Firms licensed by respected authorities such as UKGC, MGA or Gibraltar are synonyms of safety and transparency. They implement responsible gambling policies, protect your data, require a proper KYC and certainly pay out winnings. Added to that, you can enjoy a tax-free environment, opposed to the local casinos that deduct 10% of your net profit.
Online casino Philippines: deposits & withdrawals
To begin with the local payment methods, players can only find them at land-based casinos licensed by PAGCOR. These are bank transfers, credit/debit cards issued by the Philippine National Bank (PNB) and other options like Smart Money, GCash and ECPay.
However, when talking about the best online casino, Philippines offshore brands cannot miss offering a wide range of payment options to top up your account. The most popular ones that locals use at international operators are e-wallets such as Skrill, Neteller, ecoPayz and MuchBetter. PayPal is rarely available, mainly at UKGC licensed casinos. Other options are mobile apps such as Mobiamo and Boku. Lastly, according to recent research, about 20% of Filipinos who prefer playing online have made at least one transaction via a cryptocurrency. This way, they avoid exchange fees and benefit from the anonymity they offer.
Is it worth playing at Philippine online casino sites?
Finding the best online casino Philippines can offer is not an easy task. Frankly, with so many brands available, you might feel overwhelmed. Considering that not every casino is legit, your priority must be to opt for a website that has a reputable license. As for the perks they come with, they are limitless. You can play top titles offered by prestigious software providers and get a bunch of bonuses that can boost your enthusiasm, apart from your balance. Playing online can give you one more benefit at the end of the day since you won’t have to pay taxes on your casino winnings as in land-based establishments.
All forms of gambling are deemed legal and are regulated in the country by the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR). The state-owned organization was created under the Presidential Decree (PD1067-A) by President Ferdinand Marcos. However, licensed online operators are only allowed to accept players outside the Philippines. Hence, locals widely turn to international casino sites.
There are several gambling acts that the Filipino government has voted on throughout the years. The Executive Order No. 13 of 2017 and the Republic Act 10927 of 2017 as well are the latest additions containing references to land-based and online casinos.
Philippine online casino sites licensed abroad offer a tax-free product; whereas, local land-based casinos deduct 10% of your winnings and declare them to the government.
The legal gambling age to play at a land-based casino is 21 years old. Nonetheless, you can freely sign up at a legit online casino Philippines can offer, provided you are 18 and above.
Throughout the Philippines, there are more than 40 casinos. Half of them are located within the Metro Manila area and are mainly casino hotels and resorts.
The best online casino in the Philippines is the one that offers payments in PHP. Thankfully, you can find many of them by simply looking at our listed websites. You can avoid paying currency conversion fees, and indeed, you’ll know exactly how much you deposited and what bonus amounts you can expect.
The Filipino government has legalized lottery and bingo since 1976. The Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office, also known as PCSO, is the state-owned agency that organizes and conducts number and lottery games.
Most casinos from our list offer a well-optimized mobile platform that you can access through every browser, whether your device runs on Android or iOS. Usually, most of their games are available through your mobile in no time. Plus, several operators have created a mobile app through which you can boost your fun and experience even more.
Choosing the top online casino Philippines can offer means that you’ll enjoy a wide variety of bonus offers. Reload bonuses, free spins, cashbacks and loyalty bonuses are just a few of them that’ll blow up your mind. As you can see, we’re not talking only about an attractive sign-up offer but also about several other bonuses.