Alejandro Tengco, chairman and chief executive of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp (PAGCOR), announced that the Philippine gaming regulator plans to launch its own casino brand, casinofilipino.com, by the end of this year.
“We are already talking to our possible joint venture partner. Out of three companies that we’ve talked to, I already have one chosen,” Tengco stated. “Maybe within July, I will be able to announce our partner,” he added.
“Barring any unforeseen issues and depending on the length of discussions or negotiations, I believe we will launch casinofilipino.com in the last quarter of this year,” Tengco said. Tengco made these comments in an interview on Thursday at the Global Gaming Expo (G2E) Asia in Macau.
He explained that the online-platform project would be a joint venture with a company involved in the online gaming segment in the Philippines. “It’s not just any company; I made a conscious effort to choose a credible and well-known entity in the online gaming world to avoid a learning curve,” he observed.
Tengco stated that launching PAGCOR’s own online casino does not contradict the agency’s plan to privatize its operations. Previously, the regulator announced plans to upgrade its network of Casino Filipino venues, including acquiring more than 3,000 new slot machines. This modernization effort is a step toward launching the sell-off initiative for the Casino Filipino chain, enabling PAGCOR to focus on regulatory work.
“My intention is to first privatize all our land-based operations under the Casino Filipino brand, and then, after setting up casinofilipino.com, move to phase two: the privatisation of the online brand,” Tengco noted.
PAGCOR plans to begin the overall privatization process “in the last quarter of 2025 at the earliest, or around the first quarter of 2026 at the latest.”
The Casino Filipino chain includes more than 40 branches and ‘satellite-casinos’ operating in leased venues from third parties.
“The privatization process of our land-based operations cannot be done overnight,” Tengco said. “So, while this process is ongoing, we plan to start casinofilipino.com and derive good value from it.”
He added, “Whatever value we create in the privatization of the land-based casinos, we will add more value after setting up casinofilipino.com, generating additional revenue for PAGCOR and the Philippines.”
When asked about a deadline to complete the privatization of the land-based operations, Tengco replied, “Assuming I finish my stint as PAGCOR chairman and CEO until 2028, I hope to privatize the Casino Filipino network, including the operations of casinofilipino.com, before I step down.”
The agency has already reached agreements for renovating all the leased buildings for its Casino Filipino venues, with at least three owners starting renovations in different standalone branches.
Tengco said the acquisition of 1,968 slot machines from casino equipment supplier and distributor RGB International Bhd aims to upgrade the existing inventory at Casino Filipino branches. RGB valued the total contract at just above US$81.3 million. The new units will start to arrive in July,” stated Tengco. “These slot machines are the same as those used by all our integrated resort licensees,” he added.
PAGCOR’s order from RGB includes electronic gaming machines of third-party brands: 888 units of Light & Wonder, 888 units of Aristocrat, 150 units of Konami, and 42 units of KL Saberi.
PAGCOR also plans to upgrade its gaming tables by procuring a new casino management system.
“Once the upgrades and renovations are complete, we expect our casinos to attract more players and guests, making our casinos more attractive to potential investors once we start offering them for sale,” Tengco told said.
PAGCOR plans to purchase a total of 3,345 slot machines, with procurement for the second batch likely starting “before the last quarter of this year,” he added.
Plans for the privatisation process are still being formulated but may include some “assurances of jurisdictional territory,” including exclusivity rights for a determined period, for proponents that acquire a Casino Filipino branch.
“Once we become a pure regulatory entity, you can expect a more dynamic and lucrative Philippine gaming industry with a level playing field that promotes fair competition and equitable growth,” Tengco stated.
