Can foreigners play poker in the Philippines?

Yes. Foreign visitors aged 21 and over can play at licensed casinos and card rooms; bring your passport for age checks.

What is the legal gambling age in the Philippines?

21, both at casinos and on PAGCOR-licensed online platforms.

Where can I play poker in the Philippines?

Mainly in Metro Manila: the resort casinos in Entertainment City such as Okada Manila and City of Dreams Manila, plus card clubs such as Metro Card Club in Pasig.

Are there poker tournaments in the Philippines?

Yes. Several international festival series run in Manila each year. See our festival calendar for upcoming dates.

Poker in the Philippines

Q: Is online poker legal in the Philippines?

Only on platforms licensed by PAGCOR for the domestic market. GGPoker received a PAGCOR licence in 2024. Offshore (POGO) operations are banned by law, and playing on unlicensed sites is illegal gambling. Check the PAGCOR Guarantee list before signing up anywhere.

Live poker is legal at PAGCOR-licensed casinos and card rooms for players aged 21 and over, but government officials and employees, police and military personnel and students may not play. Online gambling is legal for people in the Philippines only on PAGCOR-licensed domestic platforms; offshore (POGO) operations are banned by law and unlicensed sites are illegal.

Is Poker Legal in The Philippines?

Live Poker: Legal, Licensed
Online Poker: Legal, Licensed
Casino Age: 21+
Last Checked: October 28, 2026

A summary of the law from official and reliable sources, not legal advice. Laws change: check the sources and the rules of the venue before you play.

ByAsiaPokerHub Data Desk

Reviewed byJessyData Editor & Reviewer

October 28, 2026

•

5 min read

Based on data from AsiaPokerHub and generated using AI assistance. Fact-checked by Gábor Magyari, October 28, 2026.
See How We Work

the Philippines at a Glance

Capital: Manila
Population: about 103.3 million
Currency: Philippine peso (PHP, ₱)
Languages: English
Time Zone: UTC+8
Calling Code: +63

Where to Play Poker in the Philippines

The casinos and venues that host the most poker festivals in our database.

Okada Manila

Parañaque, Philippines

Festivals: 30
Next Festival: Nov 2026

City of Dreams Manila

Parañaque, Philippines

Festivals: 3
Last Festival: Aug 2026

Metro Card Club

Pasig, Philippines

Festivals: 3
Last Festival: Oct 2024

Crowne Plaza Manila Galleria

Quezon City, Philippines

Festivals: 1
Last Festival: Feb 2025

Prime Poker Club

Pasay City, Philippines

Festivals: 1
Last Festival: Feb 2025

Poker Tournaments in the Philippines

the Philippines Poker Calendar

Nov 23 - Nov 262026 · 4 days

Manila Special 2026 NovPokerStars LiveParañaqueOkada ManilaSchedule TBAin 4 weeks Nov 27 - Dec 72026 · 11 days

Manila Megastack 25PokerStars LiveParañaqueOkada ManilaSchedule TBAin 4 weeks Jan 22 - Jan 312027 · 10 days

Manila Super Series 25PokerStars LiveParañaqueOkada ManilaSchedule TBAin 3 months Feb 22 - Mar 72027 · 14 days

Manila Megastack 26PokerStars LiveParañaqueOkada ManilaSchedule TBAin 4 months

Biggest Results in the Last 12 Months

Event	Festival	Winner	Entries	Prize Pool
#70 APPT Main EventAug 10 2026	APPT Manila 2026Parañaque	Mike Takayama	1,413	PHP 97.7M~$1.6M
#49 Main EventMar 8 2026	Manila Megastack 24Parañaque	Marvin Cerbito	848	PHP 33.3M~$578.7K
#42 Main EventDec 8 2025	Manila Megastack 23Parañaque	Edilberto Gopez	850	PHP 33.4M~$569.5K
#27 GOP Main EventAug 29 2026	The Arena of Champions - GOP Manila 2026Parañaque	Dakota Anderson	383	PHP 30M~$486K
#45 APPT OpenAug 6 2026	APPT Manila 2026Parañaque	Asaki Tanaka	508	PHP 26.3M~$428.3K
#21 PokerStars Red DragonAug 3 2026	APPT Manila 2026Parañaque	Kim Giboum	599	PHP 25M~$408K

Is Live Poker Legal in the Philippines?

Legal, Licensed

PAGCOR (Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation) is both the regulator and a casino operator, and it licenses the private integrated resorts in Entertainment City, Manila. Poker is offered in licensed casinos and card rooms, and international festivals run regularly in Metro Manila. Entry is limited to adults aged 21 and over, and certain groups are barred by presidential circulars.^{[3, 4, 9]}

Minimum age is 21 at all Philippine casinos.
Government officials and employees, and members of the Armed Forces and the Philippine National Police, may not play in casinos.
A 2001 Memorandum Circular also bars students of Philippine schools, colleges and universities.
PAGCOR runs self-exclusion and family exclusion for 6 months, 1 year or 5 years; the first 6 months of self-exclusion cannot be revoked.
Unlicensed underground card games are illegal gambling.

Where You Can Play Legally in the Philippines

Poker rooms in PAGCOR-licensed integrated resort casinos (Okada Manila, City of Dreams Manila)
PAGCOR-licensed or regulated card clubs and hotel poker rooms in Metro Manila
Festival series hosted at these venues

Age: 21 for casinos and for PAGCOR-licensed online platforms. Separate bans cover government officials and employees, AFP and PNP members, and students of Philippine schools.^{[3, 4, 9]}

Is Online Poker Legal in the Philippines?

Legal, Licensed

The Anti-POGO Act (Republic Act 12312, enacted October 2025) bans offshore gaming operations that served players abroad, with prison terms of 6 to 12 years for operators. Separately, PAGCOR licenses domestic online gaming for players in the Philippines, but it has frozen new online licences since March 2024 and had 48 licensed operators in August 2026. GGPoker received a PAGCOR licence in 2024, reported as the first legal real-money online poker platform in the country. Congress has debated tighter rules or a total ban on online gambling since mid-2025, but no bill had been enacted as of the latest sources.^{[1, 2, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11, 12, 13]}

Licensed online poker: Yes
Players can be prosecuted: Yes
Sites blocked: Partly
Advertising ban: No

Licensed: GGPoker (PAGCOR licence, 2024; reported, confirm on the PAGCOR Guarantee list)

Only PAGCOR-licensed platforms are legal; PAGCOR publishes them on its PAGCOR Guarantee website (pagcor.ph/pagcorguarantee).
Players on licensed platforms must be 21+ and pass KYC before depositing.
PAGCOR says about half of the online gaming sites reachable from the Philippines are illegal and asks the NTC to block them; operators often reappear under new domains.
Since August 2025 the central bank (BSP) has ordered e-wallets and payment apps to remove in-app links to gambling sites.
PAGCOR banned online gambling billboards in 2025 and bans broadcast ads in prime time (5:30pm to 8:30pm); a total TV and radio ad ban was under consideration in 2026.
Bills in the Senate and House range from a full ban to stricter regulation (higher age, ad bans, loss limits); a Senate technical working group was still drafting in April 2026.

Poker Cities and What to See

Manila

Metro Manila is the hub of Philippine poker: the big resort casinos sit in Entertainment City on Manila Bay in Paranaque, a short ride from Ninoy Aquino International Airport, with other card rooms spread across the metro.

Poker in Manila

What to See in Manila

Pasig

Pasig is a business city in eastern Metro Manila next to the Ortigas Center, reachable by car or ride-hailing from Makati and the Manila Bay casino district.

Poker in Pasig

Metro Card Club

What to See in Pasig

Travel Tips for Players

Visa: Citizens of many countries (for example Australia) can enter visa-free for 30 days for tourism or business, and a 9(a) visa can extend the stay; other nationalities need a visa from a Philippine embassy. All foreign arrivals must register free of charge on eTravel (etravel.gov.ph) before travel. Check the Department of Foreign Affairs page for your nationality.
Money: The currency is the Philippine peso (PHP). Large resort casinos in Manila have cashier and exchange desks; bring your passport for chip purchases and cash-outs.
Casino Entry: You must be 21 or older and may be asked for a passport or government ID to prove age and eligibility. Dress code and membership rules vary by venue.
Tax on Winnings: We have not confirmed yet how poker winnings are taxed in the Philippines. Check with the venue or a tax adviser before you play for large amounts.

^{[3, 14]}

Responsible Gambling

Gambling should stay fun. If it stops being fun, get help early.

Help in the Philippines: PAGCOR National Problem Gambling Helpline, (02) 8248-9568, 24/7 (launched May 2026)

Self-exclusion: PAGCOR self-exclusion (6 months, 1 year or 5 years) and family exclusion requested by a spouse, adult child or parent; apply at the casino or via PAGCOR.

More help and international lines on our Responsible Gambling page.^{[9, 15]}