The Philippine regulator PAGCOR plans to release a mobile app in December 2026 that will let players check whether an online platform holds a license. The board approved the development and rollout on October 8, and the regulator announced the decision on October 19.
The Development Bank of the Philippines Data Center Inc (DCI) will develop and maintain the app. According to PAGCOR, DCI will take on development, hosting, operations, support and maintenance at no cost to the regulator. The partnership is set for five years and can be extended by written agreement of the parties.
Before the full launch, DCI must present PAGCOR with a proof of concept for an MVP. A six-month evaluation will cover features, system architecture, security measures and overall feasibility. If DCI does not fix the identified shortcomings within a reasonable time, PAGCOR may terminate the agreement. The project must also comply with the Philippine Data Privacy Act 2012.
PAGCOR Chairman and CEO Alejandro Tengco said the app will give players a reliable way to check which operators are licensed. He had voiced this idea before: in August, at a congressional hearing, he promised a launch by the end of the year.
The timelines in the announcement do not fit together well. December is named as the launch date, but the six-month MVP evaluation comes before full deployment. The regulator has not specified what will be released in December, a pilot version or a finished product. It also has not said how the app will obtain licensing data, how it will verify offshore sites, or what will happen to operators that are not on the list.
PAGCOR added that it is coordinating with the Department of Information and Communications Technology, the National Telecommunications Commission and the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center. The goal is to strengthen the fight against illegal online operators in the country.
For those working with Philippine traffic: expect the December release and the first results of the MVP evaluation. It is worth checking the license status of partners and advertisers in advance. Under the launch terms, the app will most likely become a public reference point for players.
