LUCKY KING Responsible Gaming: PAGCOR's Own Rules
Who PAGCOR says shouldn’t play
Under PD 1869 as amended by RA 9487 and PAGCOR Memorandum Circular No. 6, series of 2016, several groups are barred from PAGCOR-regulated gaming outright: government officials and employees connected directly with government operations, members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police, anyone under 21, anyone listed on the National Database of Restricted Persons, and anyone holding a Gaming Employment License. These rules exist regardless of which specific site or table someone is looking at.
Setting your own limits and self-exclusion
PAGCOR runs a Self-Exclusion Application Portal covering three lengths: six months, one year or five years, and the first six months of any self-exclusion are irrevocable once submitted. Applying takes a government ID image and a selfie, and the exclusion applies across every site licensed and operated by PAGCOR, not just one.
| Self-exclusion length | Revocable? |
|---|---|
| 6 months | No — the first six months are irrevocable |
| 1 year | Only after the initial six months pass |
| 5 years | Only after the initial six months pass |
Excluding a family member
A spouse, child or parent can apply to have a family member excluded too, for 6 months, 1 year or 3 years, through the same portal PAGCOR runs for self-exclusion. It is built for exactly the situation where someone close to a player wants a formal, enforceable barrier rather than an informal request.
Getting help right now
PAGCOR’s own responsible-gaming line is (02) 8248-9568, and its email is ResponsibleGaming@pagcor.ph. Beyond PAGCOR directly, its accredited help centres include Bridges of Hope, Life Change Recovery Center, Milestone Health and Wellness Center, Gamblers Anonymous Philippines and Gam-Anon Philippines — the last two built around peer support rather than a clinical setting.
Applying for self-exclusion, step by step
- Open PAGCOR’s Self-Exclusion Application Portal.
- Choose a length — 6 months, 1 year or 5 years — knowing the first six months can’t be reversed.
- Submit a government ID image and a selfie as the portal asks.
- Note that the exclusion covers every PAGCOR-licensed and PAGCOR-operated site at once, not a single one.
These numbers, lengths and contacts come directly from PAGCOR’s own responsible-gaming page, current as of the date this site read it, and PAGCOR’s own page is the place to check for any update. The 21+ minimum age applies everywhere PAGCOR regulates gaming in the Philippines, and it sits alongside the other groups barred above rather than replacing them — meeting the age line alone doesn’t clear someone on the NDRP or a GEL holder to play.