PAGCOR Expands Casino Ban List to Include Department of Justice Staff 

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The Philippines’ gaming regulator has agreed to share its restricted-persons database with the Department of Justice to block DOJ staff from entering casinos. 

PAGCOR casino ban on DOJ staff
Key Takeaways:
  • DOJ staff will be added to the Philippines’ restricted persons database to ban casino gambling.
  • The move aims to strengthen enforcement of existing prohibitions on public servants gambling.

The memorandum of agreement (MOA), signed on Monday, will add roughly 60,000 DOJ employees to the National Database of Restricted Persons used by Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp (PAGCOR) and licensees to screen patrons. 

PAGCOR chairman and CEO Alejandro Tengco made the announcement at the Department of Justice reported Philippine News Agency. The MOA was signed by both Tengco and the Justice Secretary Fredderick Vida. 

PAGCOR’s list has been expanded progressively in recent years as enforcement intensified.

‘We Strengthen Enforcement Mechanisms’

Vida said the initiative targets lapses in compliance: “The presence of government officials and employees in gaming establishments, in violation of existing laws and regulations, undermines the ethical standards we are sworn to uphold.” 

Vida described the pact as the regulator’s first direct data-sharing arrangement with a government agency; “This data-sharing initiative is both timely and necessary. By enabling a more efficient and accurate identification system, we strengthen enforcement mechanisms and ensure that policies are not only written but meaningfully implemented.”

“It allows PAGCOR to better regulate access to gaming revenues and empowers the DOJ to reinforce discipline within its ranks”

Regulatory action has already led PAGCOR to withhold and void significant winnings claimed by public servants as part of enforcement under Presidential Decree 1869. Government employees are prohibited from gaming under the same decree.

The agreement comes amid concerns over data security and the integrity of screening systems. According to The Philippine Star, a prior incident in which PAGCOR’s restricted-persons list was reportedly exposed and disputed claims about its contents, prompting investigations and reassurances from the regulator. 

Despite the casino ban on DOJ staff, PAGCOR’s gross gaming revenue for 2026 is predicted to hold last year’s levels.