When Gambling Tradition Is Old, but the Regulations Are Still Raw: Revisiting the Responsible Gambling Code of the Philippines for Better Consumer Consumption and Protection

Jovanie A. Tuguinay
Department of Marketing and Advertising
De La Salle University
[email protected]

2026

Full-Length Peer-Reviewed Article

In the Philippines, the Responsible Gaming: Code of Practice sets the minimum standards all licensed gaming venues must follow. The Code guidelines are referenced in regulatory manuals for legal gambling venues. All gambling venues differ significantly in size and operations; therefore, a more comprehensive and inclusive Code is essential. The current Code (Version 6.0) was released in 2021 and is claimed to be based on the world’s best practices. However, ongoing changes in the gaming landscape, like the surge of electronic and online games, the rise and fall of offshore gaming, and increasing international casino resort investments, make a review and evaluation of the Code necessary. This article contributes to evaluating the Code’s readiness for implementation and recommends improvements based on a comparative text analysis of Versions 3.0 (2014), 4.0 (2015), 5.0 (2017), and 6.0 (2021). The analysis focused on the 13 major sections, two minor sections (Foreword and Annexes), and the National Database of Restricted Persons (NDRP). Findings identify the gap of no changes in five major sections: Financial Transactions, Fair Gaming Experience, Awareness Programs, Training and Management of Staff, and Support Facilities, as well as the Foreword, which were last updated in 2014. This is concerning as these are important components of RG implementation, and the delays in the updates may be construed as deliberate regulatory inaction. Meanwhile, other sections of the code were minimally updated across different versions, and many of the updates still focus primarily on casinos, while smaller gambling venues like bingo halls were not explicitly addressed, even though codes in other countries have long addressed them. This narrow focus raises concerns about the Code’s inclusivity and effectiveness in protecting the public from gambling-related harms. The 2021 version of the Code shows progress, but the absence of updates in key areas undermines PAGCOR’s stated commitment to regular review and evaluation. This article calls for action and provides actionable recommendations for enhancing the upcoming versions to cover all legal gambling forms, update outdated sections, and strengthen its role in protecting individuals from gambling harm, addressing social sustainability.

responsible, gambling, Code of Practice, social responsibility, harm, PAGCOR

Tuguinay, Jovanie A. “When Gambling Tradition Is Old, but the Regulations Are Still Raw Revisiting the Responsible Gambling Code of the Philippines for Better Consumer Consumption and Protection.” Philippine Journal of Public Policy: Interdisciplinary Development Perspectives, (2026): 124-176.