Gambling has been present in the Philippines since at least the sixteenth century.[1] Various legal and illegal forms of gambling are found almost all over the archipelago. The government manages gambling through the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) a state-owned enterprise which both operates a number of individual casinos and in turn acts as a regulator to privately owned casino operators. Since 2016 PAGCOR has also granted operating licenses and overseen the regulation of growing online gambling sector serving offshore markets.[2] Casino gambling and integrated resorts have become a key component of the Philippines appeal as a tourist destination with more than twenty casinos found in Metro Manila alone.[3]
- ^ Bankoff, Greg (1991). "Redefining Criminality: Gambling and Financial Expediency in the Colonial Philippines, 1764-1898". Journal of Southeast Asian Studies. 22 (2): 267–281. doi:10.1017/s002246340000388x.
- ^ "Presidential Decree No. 1067-A - Creating The Philippine Amusements and Gaming Corporation, Defining Its Powers and Functions, Providing Funds Therefor, and For Other Purposes". Presidential Laws Statutes and Codes. Chan Robles Virtual Law Library. Retrieved July 8, 2017.
- ^ "7.2% GDP growth: Gaming the numbers?". The Manila Times. February 3, 2014. Retrieved July 8, 2017.