PAGCOR expands online oversight; AI and illegal ops cited

PAGCOR has announced an expansion of its online gaming oversight function, citing two specific pressures: the deployment of AI by operators or bad actors, and the continued presence of illegal offshore operators in the Philippine market. The regulator framed these as concurrent threats requiring a stronger supervisory response. The Yogonet report, published September 16, 2026, does not detail the specific tools or legislative instruments PAGCOR is deploying, but the directional signal is clear: the agency is moving toward more active, technology-assisted monitoring of online activity.

PAGCOR naming AI and illegal operators together in a policy statement is not accidental. It suggests the regulator sees automated activity, including AI-driven player acquisition, bot-assisted play, or offshore platforms using AI to mimic licensed behavior, as a detection challenge it now needs to address at scale. This is a meaningful shift from reactive enforcement toward proactive surveillance infrastructure.