Sports Betting Philippines

Sports betting is a major activity in the island nation of the Philippines, and there are many regulatory bodies that govern wagering activities for Filipino punters. Read on to discover the many outlets that citizens of the Philippines have available to them and by what means they can access them. MSW Betting - Leading Destination for Sports Betting in the Philippines. The laws are mixed when it comes to online sports betting in the Philippines. In a country where following and betting on sports is a passion, the opportunities to bet online and offline are limited. Yes, sports betting is legal and regulated by multiple government agencies in the Philippines. The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR), regulates and issues licenses for all gambling entities in the country except for in the Cagayan Freeport Economic Zone. Sports betting Philippines sites have to get a license from Cagayan Special Economic Zone, a region that serves as a tax haven. Any site registered in this region can only offer its services to players outside the Philippines, even though they can be classified as local companies. Recognised worldwide as offering the best 'no gimmick' sports betting service with consistently the BEST ODDs. Pinnacle Sports are the best choice for Filipinos wanting to bet on sports online, particularly Football Betting, NBL, NHL and NFL bets but there are also plenty of other sports to bet on.

The Philippines has largely embraced legal sports betting, setting it apart from many of its contemporaries. Although there are a few quirks with betting on sports in The Philippines, for the most part, it remains one of the best sports betting experiences in the world. With a wide selection of both retail and online sportsbooks, both inside the country and abroad, bettors in The Philippines are spoiled for choice. While peer-to-peer betting is illegal, there are plenty of regulated establishments offering full-service sports betting.

The legality of sports betting in The Philippines also plays well with its status as a tourist destination for wealthy foreigners. Tourists are even given special sports betting privileges in the Cagayan region. The most popular sports for Filipino bettors are basketball and soccer, but sportsbooks offer odds on any number of major global sports leagues. This page will cover all the info you need to know about betting on sports in The Philippines, from the best sportsbooks to use to the market potential of this emerging industry.

The Philippines Sports Betting Laws

Both land-based and online sports betting are legal throughout most of the country. There are a few quirks, such as the requirement that local bettors bet with a Philippine Amusement and Gambling Corporation (PAGCOR). Additionally, local bettors in the Cagayan region are excluded from all sports betting, including PAGCORs. However, online sports betting is still legal and widely available throughout the country through both domestic and international online sportsbook operators in 2021. Legal sports betting in the Philippines in 2021 is available as long as you know where to look. While Filipino sports betting laws can be confusing and labyrinthian, there are still plenty of betting options available.

Is Online Sports Betting Legal In The Philippines?

Yes, online sports betting is legal in the Philippines. Filipino bettors are serviced both by domestic online PAGCOR sportsbooks as well as international online sportsbooks licensed in the UK, the Caribbean, and elsewhere. Outside of the Cagayan region, where all gambling is prohibited except for foreign tourists, you can freely bet online from anywhere in the country. Filipino bettors have access to a wide array of legal online sports betting activities, including live betting, parlays, single-game wagering, and much more. The government in the Philippines is in something of a state of flux right now, so these laws are subject to change rapidly.

The Philippines Sports Betting Markets

The largest cities in the Philippines are Quezon City, Manila, and Davao City. But the Manila metro area is by far the most populated region of the Philippines, with a population over 12 million—nearly 13% of the country’s total population. The Philippines, although not world-renowned for their professional sports leagues, are still largely massive sports fans. The most popular sports in the Philippines are soccer, boxing, and most importantly, basketball. Boxing reigned supreme when Manny Pacquiao was dominating the sport, but now basketball has taken over as the preeminent sport. The biggest basketball league in the Philippines, the Philippine Basketball Association, has teams all over the country.

Where Philippines Sports Betting Revenue Goes

The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) is responsible for running many of the most popular casinos and online sportsbooks in the country and is responsible for licensing and regulating the others. Revenue from sports betting goes partially toward covering regulatory expenses. Most of the money goes toward the National Treasury and the Philippine Sports Commission. The National Treasury funds many social programs, infrastructure improvements, and much more throughout the country. The Philippine Sports Commission is the governing body responsible for regulating all Philippine sports.

Legal Philippines Betting Sites

There are numerous online sports betting sites and online casinos available to players in The Philippines. These sites offer great betting odds, top-notch security for personal and financial data, and lucrative deposit bonuses to help ensure that players are always getting the most bang for their buck. When looking for a betting site in The Philippines, look for sites boasting a long track record of consumer trust, 24/7 customer service, and access to a wide variety of high-quality betting options.

Bovada – The Top Online SportsBook

There are always a lot of players that like to place wagers on many sports games all the time. The thing that makes it easier for them is having one place to go when they want to place their bets. Bovada is the place to go because once you sign up for an account, this is the account players can use all the time to bet on their favorite games. With great banking methods, players will have no problem adding and taking money out. Along with that is the le betting feature with the live betting feature as well. Players need to check out Bovada. One of the best sportsbooks in the Philippines.

Why are so many sportsbooks based in The Philippines?

The Philippines have much looser sports betting laws than those of many other countries, which makes them an attractive location for sports betting operators to base their headquarters.

How does currency exchange work with Filipino sportsbooks?

Most online sportsbooks offer deposits and withdrawals through multiple different currencies, including British pounds, U.S. dollars, euros, and other major international currencies. If you deposit and withdraw through Bitcoin, it will be automatically converted into the currency of your choice on withdrawal from your Bitcoin wallet. More info about currency exchange can be found in a sportsbook’s FAQs.

Can you bet on sports in every province in The Philippines?

No, you can’t bet on sports in every province in the Philippines if you are a Filipino resident. The Cagayan region is off-limits for Filipino bettors, and sportsbooks there are exclusively reserved for foreign tourists. In every other province, however, it is fully legal to bet on sports whether you are a tourist or a resident.

Are tourists allowed to bet in The Philippines?

Yes, tourists can bet in all regions in the Philippines. Additionally, many online sportsbooks based in the Philippines are available for bettors all over the world even if they aren’t physically located within the country. Gambling tourism in the Philippines is actually extremely lucrative for the country, and state-licensed and operated sportsbooks are highly profitable servicing mostly tourists.

Why doesn’t The Philippines have casino sports betting?

PAGCOR Chairwoman Andrea Domingo has gone on the record in the past saying that the Philippines “doesn’t want to overburden the industry by blatantly giving out licenses.” Casino sports betting would significantly increase the regulatory cost of sports betting, and the Philippines doesn’t have a massive budget, so it makes sense to keep it online-only.

Find Your Country:

Nearly 5 years ago, TNC Pro Team help put Philippine esports on the proverbial map with their Top 8 finish at Dota 2’s The International 2016. Since then, Philippine esports grew exponentially. Now in 2021, it has the full backing of the local government. Since 2017, the Philippine government pledged to help provide support for the growing local esports scene. At the same time, the country’s biggest telephone corporations, such as PLDT and Globe, hosted multiple national tournaments. If you want to give esports betting a try, you can check which are the best esports betting sites in the Philippines in the table below.

To say that esports betting in the Philippines is big is only fitting. There are multiple legitimate sites that are legal, regulated, and licensed. They are based offshore, they offer betting lines and support available local payment options.

Among the many esports titles, there are a couple that stand out among Filipino players. The aforementioned Dota 2 is arguably the most popular esports title in the Philippines. This is followed by CS:GO, League of Legends, and StarCraft 2.

Top Esports Betting Sites in the Philippines for 2021

Here’s the list of the best esports betting sites in the Philippines for Dota 2, Starcraft 2, LoL and CS:GO in 2021:

• Arcanebet
• 22Bet
• GG.BET
• Bet365
• BUFF.bet
• Betfair
• Pinnacle
• Unikrn

Is Esports Betting Legal in the Philippines?

Online Sports Betting Philippines

When it comes to online betting, there are only two strict requirements. The first is that you have to be over 18 years old. The second is that the sportsbook has to be licensed and regulated offshore. The latter is especially important. Filipinos are not allowed to place bets on betting services regulated and licensed by the local Philippine government.

In general, however, Filipinos have little to worry about when it comes to online gambling. You just need to make sure that the betting company is based out of the country. Of course, they should be licensed and regulated as well. Not to mention, the majority of the laws and restrictions when it comes to betting in the Philippines mostly apply to the operators.

Best sportsbooks for Filipinos

Unfortunately, legality isn’t the biggest challenge with esports betting in the Philippines. Rather, it’s finding a sportsbook that caters to payment methods available in the country. Paypal and Bitcoin are growing in popularity. It’s easier to make deposits and withdrawals through them. Another common concern is finding a site that accepts bets from Filipinos. This is because many online sportsbooks also have local offices set up in the Philippines. To continue operating their businesses in the country, one of the requirements is to prevent Filipinos from signing up and placing bets.

The MegaSportsWorld (MSW) has been officially licensed by the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) to offer betting lines for Filipinos. However, the lines offered are often incomplete and lacking. This is especially true when we’re talking about esports matches.

This is why offshore sportsbooks are your best choice for esports betting in the Philippines.

Deposit and Withdrawal Methods for Esports Betting in the Philippines

Esports betting sites in the Philippines are not only popular but also convenient. There are several payment options available that allow you to deposit Philippines peso (PHP). E-wallets, for example, are a great choice because they are fast for both deposit and withdrawal. You can choose between Neteller, Skrill, and Paypal. The downside, on the other hand, is that some welcome bonuses may be restricted.

Debit and credit cards are convenient as there are no bonus restrictions, plus they are secure. The options available are MasterCard, Maestro, and Visa. The downsides would be the deposit fee of 2.5% and the slow withdrawals. You have to wait for 2 to 5 banking days to receive your winnings.

Cryptocurrencies are highly popular because they are anonymous. The types of cryptocurrencies available are Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Litecoin. However, this can be a tricky and complicated payment option for those who are not familiar with how they work.

How Popular Is Esports Betting in the Philippines?

Esports, and gaming, in general, are very popular in the country. The Philippines is part of the Southeast Asian region. It has since been considered as the fastest-growing esports audience across multiple titles for a few years now.

More importantly, the Philippines was considered to be one of the ideal markets to host esports tournaments. This is because of the quality and affordable infrastructure, as well as a particularly robust fanbase. Unfortunately, because of the current Philippine administration’s stance on the use of illegal drugs, many organizers have decided to look to other Southeast Asian countries.

Such an incident involved Valve. The American video game developers and creators of Dota 2 pulled their support from a Dota 2 Major initially scheduled for a January 2018 run. This is after teams expressed their concern for the country’s rulings regarding the use of illegal substances.

The Philippine esports scene

Still, despite the recent setbacks, the Philippine esports scene continues to thrive. The first franchise-based electronic esports league, “The Nationals”, was announced in mid-2018. It officially kicked off in August 2018. The “Road to the Nationals” served as an audition for interested players. The winning players were added to the pool.

The official franchised-league, The Nationals, kicked off later on with its inaugural season. This all culminated in the Cignal Ultra Warriors taking home the championship over the Suha-XCTN Punishers.

In addition to The Nationals, the Philippines was also chosen to host the 2019 SEA Games. This marks the first time that esports titles were included as a medal event in a multi-sport competition sanctioned by the International Olympic Committee.

CS:GO Betting in Philippines

CS:GO is maybe one of the most popular games due to the impressive number of tournaments held annually. Besides the renowned International tournaments, Filipinos must not miss the local ones: eXTREMESLAND ZOWIE Asia, Shootout Invitational, Electronic Sports and Gaming Summit, Mineski Pro Gaming League, WASD Tarlac eSports League, and CS:GO Asia Championships.

Dota 2 Betting in Philippines

Another popular game on esports betting sites in the Philippines is DOTA 2. Besides the renowned tournaments like The Summit, ESL One, or the International, you can earn some extra cash by following the local ones. Make sure you place your bets on The Nationals, Philippine Pro Gaming League, Electronic Sports and Gaming Summit, Galaxy Battles, and MPGL Asian Championship.

LOL Betting in Philippines

League of Legends is a popular choice among esports betting fans because it can generate some pretty attractive revenues. There are tournaments, events, and matches happening all year round. PH gamers definitely need to focus on the huge international events, like, League of Legends Pro League, League of Legends Masters Series, or League of Legends World Championship. However, make sure you don’t miss the local tournaments: Philippine Pro Gaming League, LST Philippines National Qualifier, LST Philippines National Minor, and League of Legends SEA Tour.

Who Are the Top Players from the Philippines?

TNC Predator is considered the most notable all-Filipino organization in esports. The Philippine-based organization currently field competitive teams for both Counter-Strike: Global Offensive and Dota 2. Their Dota 2 squad, in particular, are two-time winners of the World Electronic Sports Games. This is an Olympic-style tournament organized by AliSports, the sports division of Chinese multinational conglomerate, Alibaba.

There are also multiple Filipino professional esports players that are making their marks across various titles.

Sports Betting Philippines

Jake “Xmithie” Puchero of Team Liquid is widely considered as one of the best junglers in League of Legends. He has won multiple domestic titles, in addition to constantly qualifying for multiple iterations of the League of Legends World Championship, the equivalent of Dota 2’s The International for League of Legends.

The 20-year-old Gilbert “Xplosive” Rojo is also one of the Philippines’ most notable esports players. He currently plays for OpTic Gaming under their Gears of War division.

Euneil “Staz” Javiñas is another notable Filipino esports player. He is a professional Hearthstone player and took home the title at the WESG 2016.

GG.BET Philippines

One of the most popular esports betting sites in the Philippines is GG.Bet. Here, you can find all your favorite esports, like DOTA 2, GS:GO, or LOL. A major plus of GG.BET Philippines is the fact that it accepts some of the most popular local deposit methods. Furthermore, you can enjoy some of the best betting odds available on the market. You can check out our GG.Bet review here and learn more about this sportsbook and all the benefits available to players.

FAQs

Are the DOTA 2 betting sites Philippines legit? It is very important to make sure you are aware of the legislation when you search for the best DOTA 2 betting sites Philippines. Or, you can keep it simple and check the table above, as we recommend the best sites for you.

Is LOL betting in the Philippines a good option?Just like CS:GO and DOTA 2, LOL Filipino players can find the best matches available, as long as they create an account on a reputable site. All reliable esports betting sites include League of Legends in their wagering offer.

Is it legal to bet real money on esports in the Philippines? Yes, it is, as long as you are 18+ years old.

Which are the most popular esports in the Philippines?If you are looking for esports with daily betting lines, make sure you don’t miss: DOTA 2, LOL, CS:GO, Overwatch, Heroes of the storm, and Rocket League.

Final Thoughts

Hopefully, with the support of the Philippine-government and the success of the 2019 SEA games, the Philippines will, once again, become a premier destination for esports titles. Until then, the country will have to rely on its professional players to try and carry the Philippine flag wherever they go and whenever they play.

As for the future of esports betting sites in the Philippines, it’s certainly looking good for those who are interested.

As the esports market continues to grow in the country, oddsmakers and sportsbooks will be interested to offer lines for Filipinos. This is good news as more options will result in better odds and payouts.

Either way, there’s no doubt that esports and esports betting has a big future in the tropical country.