• History Of Illegal Gambling In The Philippines Government
• History Of Illegal Gambling In The Philippines Immigration
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• History Of Illegal Gambling In The Philippines Today

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In 1978, Presidential Decree No. 1602 became the Philippines second gambling law made by the President which details penalties for illegal gambling. The law essentially also says that legal forms of gambling like sports betting, slots, poker, horse race betting, and more are only authorized if adequately licensed by a credible Philippine regulator.

• The main basis for declaring online gambling legal is an old law published during the time of Ferdinand Marcos, Republic Act No. This was a law that was signed by Marcos and was made public in 1978.
• Q&A: Gambling Regulation in the Philippines 28th Apr 2020 Written by: Marika De Kock A moratorium was in place on the issuing of Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator licences from August 2019 to the end of the year; however, there is no indication of any current restrictions on the issuing of licences.
• Illegal Gambling Crackdown Under the Executive Order no.13 signed by President Rodrigo Duterte on February 2, 2017, the Philippine National Police (PNP) and National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) are two main agencies mandated to crackdown illegal gambling operation in the country.

The history of humanity is inextricably linked with the history of gambling, as it seems that no matter how far back in time you go there are signs that where groups of people gathered together gambling was sure to have been taking place. Now we are not going to attempt to track every single twist and turn in the evolution of gambling in this article, but what we are going to do is to pick out some of the most important dates to act as milestones on the road to today’s gambling experience.

The Earliest Evidence of Gambling

While it is almost certain that some forms of betting have been taking place since the dawn of human history, the earliest concrete evidence comes from Ancient China where tiles were unearthed which appeared to have been used for a rudimentary game of chance. The Chinese ‘Book of Songs’ makes reference to “the drawing of wood” which suggests that the tiles may have formed part of a lottery type game. We have evidence in the form of keno slips which were used in about 200bc as some sort of lottery to fund state works – possibly including construction of the Great Wall of China. Lotteries continued to be used for civic purposes throughout history – Harvard and Yale were both established using lottery funds – and continue to do so until the present day.

Dicing with the Law on the Streets of Ancient Rome

The Greek poet Sophocles claimed that dice were invented by a mythological hero during the siege of Troy, and while this may have somewhat dubious basis in fact, his writings around 500bc were the first mention of dice in Greek history. We know that dice existed far earlier than this, since a pair had been uncovered from an Egyptian tomb from 3000bc, but what is certain is that the Ancient Greeks and Romans loved to gamble on all manner of things, seemingly at any given opportunity. In fact all forms of gambling – including dice games – were forbidden within the ancient city of Rome and a penalty imposed on those caught which was worth four times the stake being bet. As a result of this, ingenious Roman citizens invented the first gambling chips, so if they were nabbed by the guards they could claim to be playing only for chips and not for real money. (Note that this ruse will not work if attempted at a Vegas casino).

Playing your Cards Right in China

Most scholars agree that the first playing cards appeared in China in the 9th century, although the exact rules of the games they were used for have been lost to history. Some suggest that the cards were both the game and the stake, like trading card games played by children today, while other sources believe the first packs of cards to have been paper forms of Chinese domino. Certainly the cards used at this time bore very little relation to the standard 52 card decks we know today.

Baccarat in Italy and France

The earliest game still played in casinos today is the two player card game of Baccarat, a version of which was first mentioned as long ago as the 1400s when it migrated from Italy to France. Despite its early genesis, it took hundreds of years and various evolutions to arrive at the game we know today. Although different incarnations of the game have come and gone, the standard version played in casinos all over the world came from Cuba via Britain to the US, with a few alterations to the rules along the way. Although baccarat is effectively more of a spectator sport than a game, it is a feature of just about every casino due to its popularity with high rolling gamblers.

Blackjack through the Ages

Some suggest that the earliest forms of blackjack came from a Spanish game called ventiuna (21) as this game appeared in a book written by the author of Don Quixote in 1601. Or was it the game of trente-un (31) from 1570? Or even quinze (15) from France decades earlier? As with all of these origin stories, the inventors of games of chance were rarely noted in the historical annals. The French game of vingt-et-un in the seventeenth century is certainly a direct forefather of the modern game, and this is the game that arrived in the US along with early settlers from France. The name ‘blackjack’ was an American innovation, and linked to special promotions in Nevada casinos in the 1930s. To attract extra customers, 10 to 1 odds were paid out if the player won with a black Jack of Clubs or Spades together with an Ace of Spades. The special odds didn’t last long, but the name is still with us today.

First Casinos in Italy

The earliest gambling houses which could reasonably be compared to casinos started to appear in the early 17th century in Italy. For example, in 1638, the Ridotto was established in Venice to provide a controlled gambling environment amidst the chaos of the annual carnival season. Casinos started to spring up all over continental Europe during the 19th century, while at the same time in the US much more informal gambling houses were in vogue. In fact steam boats taking prosperous farmers and traders up and down the Mississippi provided the venue for a lot of informal gambling stateside. Now when we think of casinos we tend to picture the Las Vegas Strip, which grew out of the ashes of the Depression in America.

The Little Wheel in Paris

Roulette as we know it today originated in the gaming houses of Paris, where players would have been familiar with the wheel we now refer to (ironically enough) as the American Roulette wheel. It took another 50 years until the ‘European’ version came along with just one green zero, and generations of roulette players can be grateful for that. During the course of the 19th century roulette grew in popularity, and when the famous Monte Carlo casino adopted the single zero form of the game this spread throughout Europe and most of the world, although the Americans stuck to the original double zero wheels.

Poker: Bust to Boom

It’s hard to pin down the precise origin of poker – as with a lot of the games mentioned here, poker seems to have grown organically over decades and possibly centuries from various different card games. Some have poker’s antecedents coming from seventeenth century Persia, while others say that the game we know today was inspired by a French game called Poque. What we do know for sure is that an English actor by the name of Joseph Crowell reported that a recognizable form of the game was being played in New Orleans in 1829, so that is as good a date as any for the birth of poker. The growth of the game’s popularity was fairly sluggish up until world poker tournaments started being played in Vegas in the 1970s. However poker really exploded with the advent of online poker and televised events allowing spectators to see the players’ hands. When amateur player Chris Moneymaker qualified for and won the 2003 world poker championship after qualifying through online play, it allowed everyone to picture themselves as online poker millionaires.

One Armed Bandits Appear in New York

The first gambling machine which resembled the slots we know today was one developed by Messrs Sittman and Pitt in New York, which used the 52 cards on drum reels to make a sort of poker game. Around the same time the Liberty Bell machine was invented by a Charles Fey in San Francisco. This machine proved much more practical in the sense that winnings could be precisely regulated, and marked the beginning of the real slot game revolution. The fact that some new video slot games still feature bell symbols dates back to this early invention. While early machines spewed out cigars and gum instead of money, the money dispensing versions soon became a staple in bars and casinos around the globe, and when the first video slot was invented in 1976 this paved the way for the online video slots which were to follow.

Gambling in the US: Two Sides of the Same Coin

The United States has always had an up and down relationship with gambling, dating back to when the very first European settlers arrived. Whereas Puritan bands of settlers banned gambling outright in their new settlements, those emigrating from England had a more lenient view of gambling and were more than happy to tolerate it. This dichotomous relationship has continued until now, and in 1910 public pressure led to a nationwide prohibition on gambling. Just like the alcohol prohibition of the same era, this proved somewhat difficult to enforce and gambling continued on in an only slightly discreet manner. The Wall Street Crash and the Great Depression that this spawned in the early 1930s led to gambling being legalized again, as for many this was the only prospect of alleviating the grinding poverty which they suffered through. Although gambling is legal in a number of States today –most famously in Las Vegas, Nevada - online gambling is still something of a grey area in the United States. Right now, many international internet casinos are unable to accept American clients, although the signs are that this will change in the near future.

The New Frontier for Gambling

Microgaming is one of the largest casino and slot game developers in the world today, and they are also considered to be pioneers of online gambling. The leap into the world of virtual casinos was taken all the way back in 1994, which in internet terms is kind of like 2300bc! Online gaming was worth over a billion dollars within 5 years, and today is a multibillion dollar industry with over a thousand online casinos and growing. The first live dealer casinos appeared in 2003 courtesy of Playtech, bringing us closer to a hybrid between brick and mortar casinos and the virtual world.

Gambling Has Gone Mobile

Since New Jersey legalized online gambling in 2011, there has been a boom in the interest people have in it. America has seen a move towards legalizing it state by state, as well as experiencing the rapid rise in mobile gambling. Across the globe, internet users are gradually veering away from their desktops and towards their handheld devices. This is true of online gamblers too, wanting to be able to enjoy their favorite games whilst on the go. The top gambling sites out there have recognized a market and have stepped up to deliver. With a wave of impressive mobile focused online gambling destinations taking the world by storm, it's safe to say that desktops are being left far behind in favour of more mobile alternatives.

…The Future

What Comes Next?

History Of Illegal Gambling In The Philippines Government

It is just about as difficult to predict the future for gambling as it is to uncover some of the origins of the gambling games we know so well today. Much of the focus at the moment is on the mobile gaming market, with online casinos scrambling to make more content compatible with the latest hand held devices. Virtual reality technology is just taking its first steps as a commercial proposition, and you can be sure that there will be gambling applications down the road. How would you like to sit around a virtual poker table with a bunch of your friends from all over the world, share a few laughs, try to tell if you can spot a tell-tale facial tick; and all this from the comfort of your home? VR Headsets can make it happen – maybe not today, but certainly just a few years down the track if technology continues to advance in bounds and leaps.

And after that? Well who knows, but when it comes to gambling all things are possible.

References

• Dice: Game Pieces (Britannica.com)
• Baccarat (card game) (Wikipedia.org)
• Twenty-One (card game) (Wikipedia.org)
• How Casinos Work (HowStuffWorks.com)
• Where Did Poker Originate? (History.com)
• History Of Poker (Wopc.co.uk)
• Chris Moneymaker (Wikipedia.org)
• Historical Interlude (VideoGameHistorian.com)
• Charles Fey and San Francieco's Liberty Bell Slot Machine (California Historical Quarterly)
• Microgaming: About Us (Microgaming.co.uk)
• New Jersey Now Allows Gambling via Internet (NYTimes.com)

Casino gambling in the Philippines is governed by two specific jurisdictions within the Islands: the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) and the Cagayan Special Economic Zone.

These two gaming districts handle the licensing and regulation of the various brick and mortar casinos found throughout the nation. Along with land-based casino gambling, PAGCOR also licenses and regulates online gambling businesses.

Despite being licensed by a Filipino district, the online gambling businesses operating out of this region are not permitted to offer their services to Filipino players. They are legally allowed to offer their betting and gambling services to players outside of the Philippines Islands.

Are Online Casinos Legal In The Philippines?

It is not illegal to operate an online casino in the Philippines, however, it is illegal to offer casino gambling services to Filipino players when operating an online casino that is based within the nation’s borders. However, Filipino players still have access to legally sanctioned online casino gambling through licensed and regulated offshore casino destinations online.

If there were any doubt as to this fact, a court case from 2012 resulted in a ruling that verified that the Philippines gambling laws do not prohibit players from participating in placing bets online. This means that Filipino players can legally enjoy online casino gambling at destinations that are licensed, regulated and located outside of the Philippines.

In addition, it is perfectly legal for players to access and bet at mobile sites as long as they are operated by licensed and regulated offshore casino operators. You can learn more about the legalities in different areas in our guide to Philippines legal casino gambling by region.

Gambling Laws Explained

Presidential Decree No.1067-a (1975)
PD No. 1067-A created the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) and defines legal gambling in the Philippines. The Decree also defines PAGCOR’s powers and functions and how funding will be provided to the government corporation and how revenue will be collected and used by PAGCOR. Signed into in law in 1975 by then president Ferdinand Marcos.

Presidential Decree No. 1602 (1978)
PD 1602 creates harsher penalties for illegal gambling activities. Section 1 lists activities that are usually associated with legal gambling in the Philippines: Basketball, Boxing, Slots, Poker, Soccer, Football, Volleyball, Horse racing, Pinball and about every other sport you can think of. It states that the punishment for wagering on those games without proper licensing shall be punished by prison and a fine up to 6 thousand pesos (PHP). Section 2 gives an informants reward of 20%.

History Of Illegal Gambling In The Philippines Immigration

Presidential Decree No. 1869 (1983)
PD 1869 is the charter of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) of how to properly regulate the gambling industry. It gives guidelines for PAGCOR to follow to authorize, license, and regulate all games of chance within the Philippines while laying out the legal framework for corporations to obtaining licenses.

Republic Act 7922 (1994)
The Republic Act 7922 established a special economic zone in the Cagayan Valley to be known as the Cagayan Economic Zone while including neighboring islands and the city of Freeport. Section 4 of the act ­­­lays out governmental principals while section 5 creates the Cagayan Economic Zone Authority (CEZA). The rest of the act contains legal information about CEZA compensation, supervision, auditing and legal counsels.

Republic Act 9287 (2004)
The Republic Act 9287 was written into law on April 2^nd, 2004 and was enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippine Congress. The Act increases the penalty for illegal numbers games and its implementing rules.

Executive Order No. 13 (2017)
The second section (2) of Executive Order No. 13 order clearly defines illegal gambling as any activity not authorized by an operator’s licensing authority.Transcribed to combat illegal number game operators in an effort to endorse state-run lottery services. Section 3 reinforces the policy of not allowing Filipino players access to Philippine licensed online casinos and sportsbooks. Outside players are targeted by Filipino online casinos while Philippine players are still allowed to play offshore legally sanctioned online casinos and sportsbooks.

Republic Act 10927 (2017)
Implemented by the Philippine Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) on November 4^th, 2017 the Republic Act 10927 entails special requirements for all Philippine-based casinos to follow. The law requires for casino owners to implement risk management policies and to keep records for their players for at least 5 years.

Casino owners are now ordered to allow compliance checks when the AMLC suspects a case of money laundering or terrorist financing. This new act also affects players. Players are now required to give more detailed information about themselves before setting up an account and no more aliases will be accepted.

The AMLC will also now be notified whenever there is a bet or a transaction of $100,000 USD or more. Failure to abide by this new act will result in stiff fines and/or penalties and could lead to a revoke of operating licenses.

House Bill 8910
HB-8910 is a proposed bill that would eliminate e-sabong nationwide if accepted into law. It specifically targets online cockfight betting and seeks to strengthen the Games and Amusement Board's oversight of all professional sports.

Where Can I Find Legally Licensed Online Casinos Accepting Filipino Players?

You could easily do a simple Google search to find a list of online casinos that welcome players from the Philippines. Please allow us to caution you from this course of action. Just because an online casino accepts Filipino players does not make it a legally sanctioned online casino or a high-quality destination that operates according to industry standards and licensing requirements.

One of the objectives for creating this resource guide was to assist players in finding the leading Filipino online casinos operating legally within the industry as well as helping players avoid questionable, predatory or low-quality destinations.

This guide provides a listing of recommended Philippines friendly online casinos. The list was comprised following an intense review process that closely examined online casinos that accept players from the Philippines. We carefully evaluated their legal standing within the industry, the existence and validity of their compliance certifications, the quality of their software solutions, services and security profile, and their reputation within the industry.

History Of Illegal Gambling In The Philippines Pesos

We literally review hundreds of components of each brand, effectively eliminating undesirable locations while revealing the top brands worth visiting. You can find a list of legal online casinos that accept players in the Philippines here.

Why Can’t I Participate At Online Casinos Located In the Philippines?

The gambling laws in the Philippines are quite strict when it comes to operating an online casino within the nation’s borders. While these businesses are free to offer casino gambling to players anywhere outside of the Philippines, the law clearly specifies that it is illegal for locally licensed internet gambling sites to offer their services to Filipino citizens.

History Of Illegal Gambling In The Philippines Today

Thankfully, the law does not simultaneously make it a crime for Filipino players to place bets online, hence players are free to engage in legal online casino gambling from offshore gambling sites. With the gambling industry in the Philippines currently flourishing, it is not outside the realm of possibilities that the laws may evolve to expand the online gambling opportunities within the island region, however, there have not been any moves in this direction thus far.

What Is The Minimum Gambling Age In The Philippines?

The gambling laws in the Philippines have established that gamblers must be at least 21 years of age in order to participate in casino gambling. This law is taken seriously by the Filipino government in an effort to eliminate the risks of underage gambling.

Violators will face legal consequences. While the laws in the Philippines generously allow offshore online gambling, the legal minimum gambling age still applies to this type of gambling entertainment. That means that if an online casino or poker site allows players to register at age eighteen, Filipino players must still wait until they are twenty-one years old to place bets at these sites. These restrictions established within the nation’s laws trump the policies of gambling websites.

Are There Any Other Forms Of Legal Online Gambling Available For Philippines Residents?

Yes, there is. Legally sanctioned offshore gambling sites that are available to Filipino players include legal Philippines online poker sites and legal Philippines online sports betting sites. The same rules apply to offshore poker sites and sportsbooks, so as long as the gambling sites are not operated within the Philippines, then there is nothing illegal about enjoying real money gambling at these destinations.