How to Check a PAGCOR License (and Spot a Fake Seal)
Check a PAGCOR licence in 2 minutes: find the exact domain in PAGCOR's list, ignore seals, spot offshore claims, report fakes to CICC 1326.
In this article
- Where PAGCOR publishes its licence list (what we found on 25 Oct 2026)
- How to check a PAGCOR licence in 5 steps
- Match the exact domain: look-alike sites
- Why a PAGCOR seal or certificate proves nothing
- Real vs fake: what actually proves a licence
- “PAGCOR offshore licence”? That is a red flag
- Who can legally play, and what a licensed site should show
- What to do if the site is fake
- FAQ
To check a PAGCOR licence, ignore the badge on the casino’s website and go to PAGCOR’s own Regulatory site. Open the list of approved brands and domain names, then look for the exact web address you are playing on. A site is only PAGCOR licensed if its exact domain is in PAGCOR’s published list. A logo, a seal or a “certificate” on the site proves nothing. We ran this check on 25 Oct 2026; here is what we found.
Where PAGCOR publishes its licence list (what we found on 25 Oct 2026)
PAGCOR has no search box for site names. The useful information sits on its Regulatory portal, mostly in PDF files. Here is what we opened on 25 Oct 2026 and what each one actually contains.
| PAGCOR page or file | What it contains | Useful for players? |
|---|---|---|
| List of PAGCOR-Accredited Gaming System Administrators and Registered Brands and Domain Names/URLs | 15-page PDF, “as of” 8 Oct 2026. 59 numbered operators (gaming system administrators). Columns: game offering, main brand, sub-brands, main domain, sub-domain, additional URL. | Yes, the main check for e-casino, e-bingo, sports betting, specialty, numeric, online poker and traditional bingo sites |
| List of Registered Brands and Domain Names/URLs of Licensed Casinos | 3-page PDF, “as of” 8 Oct 2026. 11 integrated resorts, one main brand each, 74 domain entries | Yes, for online platforms run by licensed casino resorts |
| Electronic Gaming Licensing page | Links to both PDFs above, plus a list of 99 approved electronic games and lists of accredited affiliates | Yes, it is the starting point |
| Remote Operations and Ancillary Services page | Lists “as of” 4 Aug 2026 of special-class BPOs and cancelled offshore, remote-play and POGO licensees. Two public notices on fake certificates and reported websites. | Only to confirm a licence was cancelled, and for the warnings |
| Security Seals Online Verification | A serial-code lookup for PAGCOR holographic labels | No. It does not list websites. |
| PAGCOR Guarantee subsite (pagcor.ph/pagcorguarantee) | Launched 18 Jun 2025 as a list of licensed online platforms in seven categories, with direct links to them (Context.ph) | Possibly. Our tool could not load it on 25 Oct 2026, so we did not rely on it. |
The domain lists are binding. In a 22 Aug 2025 memo, PAGCOR told operators to raise any errors within seven days. After that, the listed brands and URLs “shall be final” (PAGCOR memo, 22 Aug 2025).
What is missing:
- There is no search box or licence-number lookup.
- In the PDF, brands and domains sometimes wrap across lines, so a search can miss a name that is there.
- The lists also include unusual endings such as .vip, .app and .online. So “strange-looking domain” is not proof of a fake on its own.
Takeaway: The proof is a line in PAGCOR’s PDF, not a badge on the casino’s homepage.
How to check a PAGCOR licence in 5 steps
- Go to PAGCOR yourself. Type pagcor.ph into your browser. Do not click a “verify” button on the casino site; that is exactly what fake verifiers rely on.
- Open the domain list. Go to Regulatory, then Gaming Operations, then Electronic Gaming Licensing. Open “List of PAGCOR-Accredited Gaming System Administrators and Registered Brands and Domain Names/URLs”. For resort-run sites, also open the licensed casinos list.
- Search the exact domain, not the brand. Copy the address from your browser bar and search the PDF (Ctrl+F, or “Find in page” on a phone). No hit? Search a distinctive part of it and read the row.
- Check the date and the licence type. Note the “as of” date. If the site claims an offshore, POGO or “international” PAGCOR licence, stop. Those licences were banned (see below).
- Follow the money. If deposits go to a personal GCash or bank account, an “agent”, or a crypto wallet, walk away. The same goes if you are asked to pay a fee before a withdrawal.
Want a second opinion? Try our 2-minute scam quiz.
Takeaway: Five checks, two minutes, and none of them depend on anything the site says about itself.
Match the exact domain: look-alike sites
Illegal operators copy licensed brands. PAGCOR chair Alejandro Tengco described the trick in August 2026: “Iniiba lang ‘yung font, dinagdagan lang ng isang numero ang mga site”. In English: they change the font and add a number to the site name (DZRH, 26 Aug 2026). In the same interview he estimated that about 50% of online gaming sites accessible in the Philippines are illegal.
Common tricks to look for when you compare:
- An extra number or letter: brand77 instead of brand7.
- A swapped ending: .com instead of .ph, or .vip instead of .com.
- Look-alike characters: 0 for o, rn for m.
- Brand as a prefix: brand.other-site.com belongs to other-site.com.
Sub-domains are listed as separate entries in PAGCOR’s PDF. If the exact sub-domain you are on is not there, ask why.
Takeaway: Compare letter by letter. “Close enough” is how look-alike sites get paid.
Why a PAGCOR seal or certificate proves nothing
A seal is an image file. Anyone can copy it, and PAGCOR says scammers do:
- Fake certificates on social media. PAGCOR warns that entities on Facebook, X, Telegram and Viber are “using fake certificates to deceive the public” (PAGCOR notice).
- Fake verification websites. In a second notice, PAGCOR names three “verification” websites that generate counterfeit PAGCOR certificates. Gaming sites then display them. The same notice lists several hundred websites (roughly 400 lines in our reading) using the PAGCOR logo without permission. (PAGCOR notice).
- Fabricated licences for offshore sites. In June 2025, PAGCOR flagged 11 offshore sites showing its logo and fake certificates. Tengco said they are “not authorized to operate under any PAGCOR-issued license” (Daily Tribune, 29 Jun 2025).
- A real licence, used for the wrong thing. In May 2025, PAGCOR warned that “agreements” allegedly asking people for a PHP3,000 upfront deposit cited a fake offshore licence. The company named held a genuine licence, but for e-games venues only (InterGame, 18 May 2025).
Takeaway: If the only proof is on the casino’s own page, or on a “verifier” the casino links to, you have no proof.
Real vs fake: what actually proves a licence
| Signal | What scam sites show | What actually counts |
|---|---|---|
| Seal or logo | PAGCOR shield image, often not clickable or linking elsewhere | Nothing. It is decoration, and PAGCOR says its logo is misused. |
| Licence certificate or number | A PDF or image “certificate”, or a number in the footer | Only useful if it matches PAGCOR’s own list. PAGCOR warns of counterfeit certificates. |
| “Verify” button | Leads to a third-party checker that says “valid” | Type pagcor.ph yourself. Ignore any verifier the site sends you to. |
| Register entry | Usually none, or a brand name close to a real one | The brand is in PAGCOR’s domain PDF under a named operator |
| Domain match | One extra number, a different ending, a look-alike letter | The exact domain or sub-domain in your browser bar appears in the list |
| Licence type | “Offshore”, “POGO”, “international” or “PAGCOR + Curacao” | A domestic online gaming licence; offshore licences are banned |
| Payment channel | Personal GCash or bank account, “agent”, crypto wallet, fee to withdraw | Payments to the operator, never a personal account, and no upfront withdrawal “tax” |
A deposit to a stranger’s account can also pull you into money-mule activity. Our USDT casino deposit risks checklist covers the crypto version. Our pillar guide on how to spot an unlicensed online casino covers sites outside the Philippines.
Takeaway: Register entry plus exact domain match is proof. Everything else is marketing.
“PAGCOR offshore licence”? That is a red flag
Executive Order No. 74, signed on 5 Nov 2024, banned Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGOs), internet gaming licensees (IGLs) and other offshore gaming licensees (PTV News). PAGCOR says the ban took effect on 31 Dec 2024. Former POGO licensees still operating are now illegal (Daily Tribune).
So a site that says “licensed by PAGCOR for offshore gaming” in 2026 is advertising a licence that cannot exist. We explain the background in the Philippines POGO ban explained.
Takeaway: An offshore licence claim in 2026 is a reason to leave.
Who can legally play, and what a licensed site should show
PAGCOR’s Responsible Gaming Code of Practice (version 6) is clear on who may not play:
- Anyone under 21. “Persons younger than 21 years old are not allowed to play.”
- Students at any school, college or university in the Philippines.
- Government officials directly connected with the operation of government.
- Members of the AFP and PNP.
- People on PAGCOR’s restricted list (the National Database of Restricted Persons), including the self-excluded.
The code also expects responsible gaming information: the PAGCOR RG link, the email keepitfun@pagcor.ph, a helpline and self-exclusion details. PAGCOR has also introduced “greater KYC requirements” for online players (iGaming Expert, Feb 2026).
A licensed site asking for your ID is normal. One that demands a “verification fee” before paying you is the classic withdrawal fee scam.
Takeaway: Licensed sites check you. Scam sites charge you.
What to do if the site is fake
- Stop depositing. Do not pay any “fee” or “tax” to get money back.
- Save evidence. Screenshot the domain, the seal, chats, and every payment reference.
- Call the CICC hotline 1326. The Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center takes reports of illegal online gambling and the pages that promote it (DZRH, Mar 2026; Newsbytes, Aug 2026). It logged nearly 2,000 illegal gambling complaints from 1 Jan to 1 Mar 2026.
- Tell PAGCOR. PAGCOR asks the public to report misuse of its logo or fake accreditation through its contact page. The licensing departments are listed on the Regulatory contact page (+632 8521-1542 / +632 8522-0299).
- File a police complaint if you lost money. Go to the PNP Anti-Cybercrime Group, and tell your bank or e-wallet the same day.
Our online casino complaint guide has templates. If the “casino” came as an app link on Telegram or Facebook, see the fake gambling app red flags. If gambling itself is the problem, PAGCOR’s 24/7 National Problem Gambling Helpline is (02) 8248-9568 (Daily Tribune, May 2026).
Coming soon: PAGCOR is targeting a December 2026 launch for an app that lets players check whether a platform is licensed (The Manila Times, 20 Oct 2026). We cover it in a separate article.
Takeaway: Report it to 1326, never pay to “release” a withdrawal, and keep every screenshot.
FAQ
How do I check if a casino is PAGCOR licensed?
Go to pagcor.ph yourself, then Regulatory, Gaming Operations, Electronic Gaming Licensing. Open the PDF list of accredited gaming system administrators and registered brands and domain names. Search for the exact domain in your browser bar. If it is not listed, treat the site as unlicensed.
Is a PAGCOR seal on a website proof of a licence?
No. A seal is an image anyone can copy. PAGCOR has warned that sites misuse its logo and that some “verification” websites generate counterfeit PAGCOR certificates. Only PAGCOR’s own domain list counts.
Where is the PAGCOR licensed online casino list?
On PAGCOR’s Electronic Gaming Licensing page (pagcor.ph/regulatory/cegs.php). There are two PDFs: one for accredited gaming system administrators (59 operators, as of 8 Oct 2026) and one for licensed casino resorts (11 resorts). Both list approved brands and domains.
Can a site with a PAGCOR offshore licence accept Filipino players?
No. Executive Order No. 74 banned POGOs, internet gaming licensees and other offshore gaming licensees, and PAGCOR says the ban took effect on 31 Dec 2024. A site claiming an offshore PAGCOR licence today is a red flag.
Where do I report a fake PAGCOR licensed site?
Call the CICC hotline 1326 and report the logo misuse to PAGCOR through its contact page. If you lost money, file a complaint with the PNP Anti-Cybercrime Group and alert your bank or e-wallet.
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