Most Popular Bookies in Philippines

The country has also put in place a mechanism to protect its citizens from online sports betting scammers. All sports betting activities in the Philippines are monitored and controled by the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR). This is a government-owned regulatory body tasked with the responsibility of remote license issuance and promoting responsible gambling.

Hence, any offshore sportsbook is allowed to operate in the Philippines as long as such a site meets all the requirements of PAGCOR. This comes as soothing news to Filipinos as they can rest assured they are betting at reputable sites. In a nutshell, betting in the Philippines is more popular than anyone would imagine.

What started as a simple activity has now evolved into a multi-billion industry that brought together many stakeholders, including sports fans, bettors, bookmakers, and payment processors. As mentioned earlier, Filipinos now have a wide range of markets, and of course sports, to bet on.

This includes football, horse racing, tennis, boxing, rugby, athletics, golf, mixed martial arts, volleyball, and basketball, among other sports. Also, the number of Filipino-tailored sportsbooks has never been higher. One could easily count the number of sportsbooks operating in the Philippines in the past. With hundreds of online betting sites for Filipinos in existence today, it is a huge task to mention all the betting sites that accept Filipinos.

The many gambling sites create an environment where sport betting bonuses are indispensable. Rather than players jostling for betting sites, betting sites now compete for punters. That's where bonuses come in.

With each betting site wanting to create a client base to sustain its trade, bonuses are seen as the best strategy to wrestle punters from competitors. That's why bonuses seem to be all over the place in the Philippines' betting world.

The massive growth of the betting industry in the Philippines can be attributed to one thing: the internet.

The role of the internet in the Filipino betting industry

With the internet, Filipinos no longer need to go to physical betting joints. The so-called World Wide Web has brought these joints to the bettors' doorsteps, but better still, in the palm of their hands. First was betting on desktops, but today, it is about mobile betting- betting on the go.

With a smartphone, Filipinos can bet wherever and whenever they want, with geography being a non-issue. Unlike back in the day when only a small portion of the Philippines was internet-enabled, the bulk of the country's population has access to the internet today. This makes it possible for bookmakers to access as many citizens as possible, allowing them to bet on the games of their choice.

Nothing prevents Filipinos from betting at online sportsbooks. That's because the gambling laws in the country allow that. Now, Filipinos have two options to bet online: offshore sportsbooks and domestically owned sportsbooks.

Philippine Gambling Acts are meant to govern sportsbooks and protect bettors. As such, there have been amendments and improvements to the 1975 Presidential Decree No. 1067 to achieve this goal. Here are some important Acts and laws that affect the Filipino punters and the entire betting industry in the Philippines.

The 1975 Presidential Decree No.1067

This Act, which was enacted in 1975, created PAGCOR, whose responsibilities have already been mentioned in this post. The law defines what legal gambling in the Philippines is, and it sets out the functions and powers of PAGCOR. Also explained in the Act is how PAGCOR collects and uses revenue from the gambling industry in the country.

The 1978 Presidential Decree No. 1602

This law defines what punishments gambling lawbreakers in the country face. The first section of this law lists all the legal gambling activities in the Philippines, including betting on horse racing, volleyball, football, soccer, pinball, boxing, and basketball.

According to this Act, operating an unlicensed betting platform and betting at one is punishable by fine and imprisonment. Those who inform the authorities of any illegal gambling activities in the country are rewarded.

The 1983 Presidential Decree No. 1869

This is PAGCOR's charter that outlines proper regulation of the Filipino gambling industry. It spells out all the guidelines that PAGCOR follows in authorizing, licensing, and regulating all chance games in the country. Additionally, this decree outlines the legal framework bookmakers follow in obtaining a gambling license.

The 1994 Republic Act 7922

This is the Act under which the so-called Cagayan Economic Zone is founded. This economic zone is located in Cagayan Valley, and it includes the neighboring islands and the Freeport city. This Act contains all the Cagayan Economic Zone's legal information, including legal counsels, auditing, supervision, and compensation.

The Executive Order No. 13

This was enacted in 2017, and it categorically explains what constitutes illegal gambling activity is (gambling not licensed by a reputable body). This law also prohibits Filipino punters from accessing locally owned sportsbooks in the country.

The 2017 Republic Act 10927

This law requires all gambling operators in the country to put in place risk management strategies to prevent Filipinos from the dangers of gambling.

Online betting is all about depositing funds, placing bets, and cashing out winnings, if any. That calls for a credible payment system that punters can trust. Like elsewhere, Filipino bettors have a wide range of options to deposit and cash out. Some of these methods are local, while others are renowned international payment systems used in hundreds of countries across the world.

Talking of the local payment methods in the Philippines, GCash is undoubtedly the most, with well over 45 million users. However, this payment method is not very popular when it comes to online betting, with only a couple of sportsbooks supporting it.

Alternatives to GCash

Some of the most popular alternatives to GCash include Neteller, Astropay, STICPAY, and Skrill. At least one or more of these methods are available at any Filipino betting site.

Thanks to their low fees, quick payments, and security features, these methods command a great reputation. Skrill, for instance, has been in operation for close to two decades. Standing such a test of time is something that deserves recognition.

Other alternatives include Mastercard and Visa. While many bookmakers may slowly be moving away from these payment methods, Visa and Mastercard are still among the most trusted payment methods anywhere. Thanks to their long-standing reputations, these two still give e-wallets and even Bitcoin a run for their money.