The Best Online Casinos in the Philippines – Legal Operators + Top Bonuses

Although our main focus is to guide you with your online gambling pursuits in our reviews, we’ve also created a whole section on the biggest and brightest land-based casinos in the Philippines. There are some important legal factors about gambling in the bricks-and-mortar locations in the country, so we’ve also included this information to ensure you have the most holistic comprehension as possible.

The Results of Our Tests: The Top Casinos in the Philippines

Choosing the best online casinos in the Philippines isn’t as simple as just picking any old operator from the thousands that are available on the internet. We put them all through rigorous testing to ensure that they meet our standards in a number of different criteria, which we’ll explain further down the page. But without further ado, here are the top online casinos for players from the Philippines.

These operators tick all of the boxes in terms of their wide and varied games catalogues, generous welcome offers, and most importantly, their safety and security measures. As you may immediately notice, these are all global businesses that are licensed in the United Kingdom by the United Kingdom Gambling Commission (UKGC), which is an important legal factor that we’ll explain later on the page.

Whether you are looking for the best promos, or the best roulette casino in the Phillipines we have you covered. Depending on what you are looking for from an online casino, some operators may be better than others. To help you find the perfect casino, we have arranged our recommended casinos by category to make your decision easier.

A Guide to the Best Casino Sites in the Philippines

As already mentioned, there are a lot of things to keep in mind in order to choose a safe online casino – particularly for players from a country with such convoluted gambling laws as the Philippines. For your convenience, we’ve broken them down into our six “must haves”. This guide will give you a clean and clear understanding of exactly what it is that we look for, and what you should always find out before making an account at any online casino.

As you may be able to tell from the above criteria, safety is the number one priority. Though it may not be immediately clear, even topics like bonuses and games have a root in player security, which we’ll explain in their sections. We’ll also give you an overview of the gambling laws in the Philippines.

1. Safety and Scam Protection When Playing for Real Money

A crucial concept when it comes to sharing sensitive information on the internet is to do with banking safety. Your money is always going to be sought after by those nefarious types who would rather steal than earn, and the anonymity of the internet has made it a real concern. This is why, before you share your data, you should always make sure that your chosen operator is licensed and regulating by the nation’s authorities. We’ve created an image to help you know where to look on a typical Filipino casino to find the important information.

Internet safety is a big business even if you play at the best gambling sites for Filipinos. That comes with a huge number of security providers that have developed ways to keep websites safe from the likes of hackers through their encryptions. You should always make sure that a website uses SSL encryption, which will keep your information from being accessible by the wrong people.

Then, you need to make sure the operation suits the local gambling laws and is appropriately licensed by the regulatory authorities. By following these guides, you’ll be able to ensure you are using a good and safe website and not worry for a moment.

2. Secure Payments – Depositing and Withdrawing Safely

Safe online casinos in the Philippines will offer a selection of verified payment methods for their users to choose between when making deposits and withdrawals. The top online casinos in the Philippines can accept payments by credit cards such as Visa or Mastercard, as well as the option for E-Wallets like PayPal, Sofort, Neteller and Payz.

As the casinos must pay the service provider to offer their payment method, some operators will have less options than others. Therefore, the better casinos are the ones that will have more types for their users to choose from. Also, not all types of payment methods will trigger a welcome bonus, which you can find out more about further down the page.

2.1. PayPal: Recommended Payment Method

In our opinion, the best method of payment at Filipino casinos is PayPal. The E-Wallet has been long considered a safe and secure way of making payments online, and its popularity at online casino has continues to grow alongside the industry itself. You can see for Not only does it create a wall between the operator and your personal banking information, it is also super easy and fast to use at most any website – and online casinos are no different there. It is very rare to be charged any types of fees for using this payment method, and deposits are usually processed instantly.

Not all of our recommended best casinos in the Philippines will accept PayPal, though. So, if you’re particularly interested in using this method, check out the operator in the table above. However, if you’re not fixed on which method you use, there are plenty of other options, which we’ll explain in the next section.

For example, one of the trendy payment alternatives in the Philippines right now is GCash. If you already possess an account with it, you may want to examine some of the GCash online casinos.

2.2. Limits and Fees

One important thing to understand is why some online casinos offer more or less payment methods than others. The main point is that the service providers will charge the operators a fee to use their product, so many casinos don’t want to pay for more than a few standard options. Others, such as some of the top Maya casino sites, can include multiple methods but may pass the fees on to the user. Before you make any payments online, double check if there are going to be fees charged.

There are always some sort of deposit and withdrawal limits imposed on users, which are completely dependent on the operator in question. The above table gives you an idea of some of the widest limits we were able to find. Some payment limits are time-restricted, meaning you can only withdraw a certain amount of money per week or per month, for example. Always read the terms and conditions to make sure you can get your money back out when you want.

3. Reliable Customer Support Service

If you aren’t able to find some information in the terms and conditions or have any questions about the website you’re intending to use then it is important to contact a customer support representative. The best casinos in the Philippines will have many different support channels for their users, so if you prefer to make a phone call, email or live chat, you will be able to do so.

4. Transparent and Fair Casino Bonus Terms for Filipino Players

All of the top online casinos in the Philippines will have a special promotion aimed to entice new players to sign up for an account and make a deposit. Known as a welcome bonus, the deals can offer all sorts of things from lump sums of cash, to free spins on a certain slot game. However, no business gives anything away for free. Here are some of the most important things to look for in a Filipino casino bonus:

• Wagering Requirements – The bonus amount must be wagered a certain number of times before it can be claimed.
• Expiration Period – The playthrough requirements must be completed before a certain deadline, which can be anything from 24 hours to 90 days after claiming.
• Accepted Payment Methods – Not all deposits will be able to trigger a welcome bonus, as some E-wallets in particular are excluded.
• Wagering Contributions – Different types of games will contribute to the requirements with different amounts, and some are excluded altogether.

Most of these details will be available to check in each casino’s terms and conditions or Bonus Policy. We’ve had a bit of a look at the top online casinos available in the Philippines and found that 888casino currently has the best deal. Find out more about the offer in the table below and claim the offer if it matches your desires.

5. Rich Casino Games Selection

This is what we’re looking for! The actual fun part of finding the best online casino in the Philippines all leads towards you being able to have a great time gambling on the internet. When you’re thinking games, you’ll likely be looking for a combination of slots and table games like blackjack and baccarat, as well as live dealer versions of the game.

The best casino for Philippines players must obviously tick all of the boxes above, while also making sure that it has a fantastic quality and variance of options. It would be no use to simply offer one of every game type and call it a day! However, the operator highlighted in the table below has nearly 1,000 different games, featuring a huge selection of slots and table games to keep you entertained.

6. Stable Software Compatible with All Devices

All of the recommended safe online casinos in the Philippines will use secure software packages provided both by game developers and for the websites themselves. When talking about the games, there are plenty of different firms out there all making slots, blackjack and roulette titles that are proved to be fair and reliable through the use of third-party testing agencies. The websites are kept secure by using encryption services from security companies like Thawte and GeoTrust, which focus only on keeping personal information out of the nefarious hands of hackers.

What You Need to Know to Play Legally in the Country

There are different laws for Filipino gamblers in the Philippines than there are for international guests to the country. However, when it comes to gambling online such as at any of the betting sites Philippines players may come across, everyone is in the same position. The only legal online casinos that accept Filipino players are the off-shore kind, meaning there are an enormous number of operators that you can choose from, though it is unlikely that they will have any sorts of Filipino-specific bonuses or anything. If you’re visiting the Philippines and want to visit one of the 20 locations in Manila or the handful of other casinos sprinkled throughout the country, then you must be over 21 years of age and have a valid form of ID, such as a passport.

Gambling Laws and Authorities in the Philippines

Gambling has a long and large history in the Philippines and covers a lot of different types of games. There are some interesting exceptions to the legality of different games, and strict laws about who can offer gambling activities and real money online casinos. The country’s regulatory authority for all things gambling, whether on the ground or on the internet, is the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR). PAGCOR is a government owned organization that aims to control the country’s gambling, which consists of one of the largest and most flexible casino industries in Asia.

Alongside PAGCOR, there are a number of additional government agencies and firms that organize and authorize different areas of gambling in the Philippines. The Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) is responsible for all of the lottery games; the Philippine Racing Commission is the horse racing regulatory body, and the Games and Amusement Board takes care of most other forms of sports betting including on American football, Karate and cockfighting. According to the Manila Times newspaper, there are more casinos in Manila than in Macau, which is famed for its openness to gambling.

Gambling Taxation – Do You Owe Taxes After a Win

There are two different levels of taxation that can be applied to gambling winnings in the Philippines, which are dependent on how much money is won. If your winning stay under the P10,000, they’re considered as your income and are taxed as such. This means that it depends on what income tax bracket you’re in, and whether or not the winnings will push you into a different bracket. The income tax can be anywhere between five and 32%. If your winnings are over P10,000, however, they will hit a flat Final Tax of 20%.

The taxes on gambling winnings for Filipino players are pretty standard on a global scale. It’s by no means as generous as the likes of Canada or the Republic of Ireland, for example. In both of these countries, there are zero taxes applied to your winnings at all, so anything you take home, whether in a casual or professional game, is yours to keep. On the other hand, it’s better than the tax laws in the United States, where all winnings are subject to a flat 25% Federal Tax, as well as a varied state tax on top of that – which can be anywhere from four to 15% again.

Most Important Legal Texts

Seeing as gambling is legal in the Philippines, there are certain provisos that players and service providers must adhere to in order to stay within the boundaries of the law. As regulated by PAGCOR, the casinos and other types of betting rules are predominantly laid out in the Responsible Gambling Code of Practice. This provides a set of requirements for responsible gambling, such as the provision of exclusion programs, that the operators must follow to remain operational. Some types of games are not legal in the country at all, and there have been a lot of illegal operations trying to fly under the radar. In order to crack down on this further, there have been some amendments such as the Republic Act No. 9287 and the Presidential Decree No. 1602. These give closer definitions and reveal the penalties that could be incurred for illegal operations.

What Might the Future Hold

The current situation for legal gambling in the Philippines is a little strange, as there is a single government entity that holds a monopoly on all land-based gambling but has no authority over any online casinos. This seems like it could be an area that PAGCOR may investigate for future growth, should it be able to change the laws to allow it. At this stage, only offshore casinos are allowed to offer online gambling to people in the Philippines, which leaves all of the regulations up to authorities outside of the country’s jurisdictions.

Comparison with Other Markets

The Philippines is setting down the roots now to become a proper destination for gambling, much like the region of Macau that is famous for its casinos. Most Asian countries have a lot of very strict bans on any forms of gambling, such as Vietnam and Thailand where there are complete bans. As such, these countries often make headlines for their illegal gambling rings, which are also surprisingly prominent in the Philippines. This could be due to the fact that locals aren’t allowed to gamble in the country’s casinos, leaving them to find their gambling activities elsewhere.

Curious Facts About the Market

As part of our in-depth plunge into the Filipino gambling scene, we’ve managed to uncover a lot of information that we’ve shared with you throughout this article. However, there are also a few other interesting facts that we’ve come across related to the topic. For example, there are three forms of gambling that have been completely banned in the Philippines: Masiao, Last Two and Jueteng. The most compelling here is Jueteng, which is a numbers game much like a lottery. According to local newspaper, the Philippines Daily Mirror, the game is not only popular even in its illegality by both rich and poor Filipinos, but also by politicians. The politicians, however, are accused of using it as a system for making payoffs under the table to corrupt cops.

On a lighter note, bingo is also very popular in the Philippines and is completely legal to play. Corruption, again, is not far away, with President Estrada accused of profiting from trading stock on BW resources, which runs the bingo in the country. This was the biggest stock scandal in the Philippines and nearly caused the country’s whole stock market to close.

Gambling Statistics

In researching the online casino industry in the Philippines, we’ve managed to dig up a number of interesting statistics that we thought could be of use for you. Some of the highlighted are shared below, but one that we found truly stunning is the growth of the land-based casino scene. Not only do experts expect the industry to double in size again over the next five years, this will be on the back of the growth it has already experienced up to 2018. A nine per cent growth spurt in 2018 was put down in part to the opening of the enormous Okada Manila resort in late December 2016. What’s curious is that the official statistics of the country’s growth don’t include the illegal gambling activities of Filipino players, who aren’t allowed to gamble in the resorts by law. However, the statistics do show that 53% of residents do take part in some form of gambling, though the legal activities of bingo, lottery and sports betting are included in that figure.

In line with the country’s plan to grow into a unique gambling destination for international players, the Philippines is continuing to lay the groundwork required. There are billions of pesos being invested into more and more resorts, such as the plans revealed in early 2019 to open two new resorts under the PH Resorts Group. This plan is to add a luxury resort on the Mactan Island in Cebu, expanding the country’s gambling from the main hub in Manila. This will see a 7,500m2 casino with over 1,000 slot machines and nearly 150 tables launching in the third quarter of 2020. This is just one example of the investments currently being made into the gambling industry in the Philippines, which we can expect to continue its strong growth trajectory in the coming years.

Gambling Resorts

International gambling enthusiasts may be surprised to learn that the Philippines is something of a central hub for casinos in Asia. Thanks to its pro-gambling government, the country and its capital, Manila, are home to some of the world’s largest and most impressive casino resorts. Of course, homegrown gamblers are no doubt only annoyed by the towering structures that have taken over Entertainment City, as the current legal situation doesn’t allow Filipino natives to enter any of the land-based casinos. Those who hold an international passport, however, are spoilt for choice. A few of our favourites are highlighted below, but in a city that boasts more casinos than Macau, these are by no means the only options out there.

Resorts World Manila

This collection of six hotels, a cinema with four screens, ten restaurants, 1,500-seat theatre, 28 conference rooms and event spaces, and an enormous casino definitely deserves the title of a ‘resort world’. The casino alone covers more than 30,000m2 of floor space of the destination. The casino takes up three floors of the main gambling area on the Ground Floor, as well as additional space inside the Remington Hotel, the third floor of the Genting Club and a space in the Holiday Inn Express. Even more space was dedicated to gambling in 2018 when the Newport Grand Wing opened.

Unfortunately, the Resorts World Manila casino is well known for something less positive. In 2017, it was the target of an attack from a “debt-riddled” Filipino citizen. Several shots of gunfire sounded, and a blaze was set, causing a stampede of gamblers fleeing for safety. According to TIME magazine, 36 people died from inhaling toxic fumes from the burning furniture while the perpetrator used the panic to take more than US$2.3 million in casino chips from a safe. The gunman was later found in one of the hotel rooms, having apparently committed suicide. The whole endeavour caused the casino to close for 20 days. Now, though, it is open for business again and welcomes international guests to enjoy its astounding collection of entertainment services.

Midas Hotel and Casino

Centrally located in Pasay, Manila, the Midas Hotel and Casino is, first and foremost, a hotel. However, that by no means says anything about the quality of the gaming options is limited, just the quantity – and only when compared to behemoths like the Okada Manila. The Midas Hotel and Casino offers 310 electronic slots and video poker/roulette machines, as well as 54 tables for card games such as blackjack and baccarat. These are spread across 220 rooms in the luxurious location, which is convenient for both travellers and international guests alike.

Located next to the Japanese Embassy, it makes sense that one of the buildings’ three restaurants is dedicated to serving authentic Japanese cuisine. The other two have more international variations, including both classic Filipino dishes and Western fare. Some offer live music, though the casino is definitely the entertainment centre of the hotel. Mostly catering to fly-through passengers of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, the casino and hotel are located only 4km away and are open 24/7. As such, it is also considered a top location for international conferences and business meetings, offering four customizable venue spaces of varying sizes.

Okada Manila

Originally known as the Manila Bay Resorts, the Okada Manila is the newest and largest land-based casino in the Philippines. It opened slightly after its scheduled grand opening date, letting the first members of the general public onto the property in December 2016. It takes up over 110 acres of space in Entertainment City, with 26,410m2 for its gambling space. This space includes more than 3,000 electronic gaming machines including slots and video poker, as well as more than 500 table games. As well as its casino, it also includes a hotel, spa, several dining options and an entertainment complex, plus a club and shopping centre.

Apart from the huge collection of slots, table games and card tables that you’ll find at Okada Manila, visitors will also be able to set their eyes upon ‘The Fountain’, an aptly named fountain that the resort markets as the ‘largest multi-colour dancing fountain in the world’. It is, in fact, slightly smaller than the Dubai Fountain at the Burj Khalifa in the United Arab Emirates, though, and cost more than US$30 million to build.

According to a press release that was shared in February 2019, the resort is considering changing its brand name again. This is due to the fact that the business was recently acquired by Hong Kong-based firm Tiger Resort Asia; and bringing the resort in line with the new parent company could see increased growth with a new reputation.

Famous Filipino Gamblers

Most of the most famous gamblers in from the Philippines are poker players, which unsurprising as it is one of the most closely followed forms of tournament-style playing. A few of these players are highlighted in the sections below, but first we can also discuss Manny Pacquiao. Not technically a gambler, but this guy comes up frequently when talking about famous gambling in the Philippines. He made his way initially as a professional boxer, bringing in huge success in eight divisions, winning 12 major world titles in five weight classes. After that, though, he became a Senator of the Philippines, and has a position in office from 2010 to 2016. His popularity and fame have spread even outside of the Philippines, with Pacquiao being featured in his own movies, being the inspiration for others, and even being featured in four iterations of the popular the boxing video game series, Fight Night.

Top Offer for Playing Real Money Games in the Philippines

As we’ve established earlier, the best casinos for players from the Philippines are all off-shore operators. This is great news for the safety and security of players, though, as it means they can pick from the casinos that are licenced and registered by authorities with strict regulations, like in the UK. The top operator that we can recommend is highlighted in the table below and can be considered the best of the best.