The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) has launched a 24/7 National Problem Gambling Helpline (NPGH). This development marked a new step in the regulator’s responsible gaming efforts as concerns over gambling harm and illegal online operators continue to grow in the Philippines.
PAGCOR said the helpline connects callers to trained counsellors who can provide confidential support, psychological assistance, and referrals for treatment and rehabilitation. The programme was launched on Tuesday in partnership with Seagulls Flock Organization Inc. (SFO).
In a keynote speech delivered by PAGCOR Senior Vice President for Land-Based Operations Daniel Cecilio, PAGCOR Chairman and CEO Alejandro Tengco said the hotline was designed not only for individuals experiencing gambling-related problems, but also for affected family members.
“This National Problem Gambling Helpline that we are launching today reflects PAGCOR’s commitment to ensure that the gaming industry remains productive, well-governed, humane, and accountable,” Tengco said.
“PAGCOR is aware that for many, gaming is just a form of leisure and recreation,” he added. “But for some, what may start as entertainment can gradually lead to financial strain and ruin, emotional distress, damaged relationships, and isolation.”
The regulator said the helpline will focus on guidance, triage, and long-term support, in line with referral protocols for crisis situations. The service will be staffed by para-counsellors and mental health professionals trained to manage gambling-related cases and emotional distress.
“The response to problem gambling should be rooted not only in regulation, but also in compassion,” the PAGCOR Chief said. He also highlighted SFO’s role in mental health support and addiction treatment.
“Through the dedication of their psychologists, counselors, social workers, researchers, and advocates, they have helped many individuals rebuild their lives,” Tengco said.
“You bring to this partnership not only expertise, but genuine compassion and a firm belief that people can recover, heal, and start again.”
First round-the-clock gambling hotline
Teresita Castillo, SFO Chairperson, said the hotline is the first dedicated round-the-clock gambling support service in the country.
“We are very grateful for the partnership with PAGCOR,” Castillo said. She explained that the initiative bridges regulatory efforts with “clinical evidence-based interventions like counseling and then, of course, referrals to treatment in rehabilitation centers so those who are affected by gambling harm can get the right help that they need.”
Before the official launch, PAGCOR and SFO also held a graduation ceremony for para-counsellors who completed training for the helpline. Castillo said the hotline currently has 12 para-counsellors working across three daily shifts, with plans to expand the team in the future.
Responsible gaming push grows
The launch comes as PAGCOR faces mounting scrutiny over illegal online gambling activity and the broader social impact of gaming in the Philippines.
Last year, Marie Antonette Quiogue, founder of regulatory advisory firm Arden Consult, said PAGCOR had often been wrongly blamed for failing to shut down illegal gambling websites despite lacking police powers to do so.
“PAGCOR was created as a regulatory and licensing body for gambling, not a police force,” Quiogue said in comments previously shared with SiGMA News.
She noted that the regulator can penalise licensed operators through fines, suspensions, and licence revocations, but cannot directly investigate or close illegal gambling sites without coordination with law enforcement agencies such as the National Bureau of Investigation, the Philippine National Police, and the Department of Justice.
Quiogue also warned about the rapid growth of illegal gambling platforms operating outside the regulated market.
“Beneath this misdirection lies the real issue: the unchecked growth of illegal gambling websites, many of them hosted overseas, that continue to siphon off untaxed revenue while exposing Filipinos to unregulated play,” she said.
The launch of the NPGH also follows growing discussions around responsible gaming safeguards in the Philippines. Tengco previously disclosed that PAGCOR was studying measures such as minimum deposit and betting requirements for licensed operators to promote safer gambling behaviour.
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