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Under a new regulatory framework from PAGCOR, all B2B providers connected to licensed online operators must secure full accreditation by March 31, 2026. After that date, any provider that has not completed the process will be treated as unauthorized. For Arden Consult, a specialist gaming law firm, any company still hoping to wait things out is taking a serious risk that could hit both their business and their name.
The new warning from Arden follows 2 key memos from PAGCOR. The first, issued in October, set out the framework for suppliers to the domestic online industry. The second, released in late January, locked in strict compliance deadlines and spelled out what regulators expect from operators and their partners. In a recent analysis, Arden Consult CEO and Head of Regulatory and Compliance, Marie Antonette “Tonet” B. Quiogue, said that any idea PAGCOR might quietly push back enforcement or give informal leeway has now been firmly brushed aside. She stressed that B2B providers who still try to delay or avoid accreditation are quickly running out of reasons and, more importantly, out of time.
What Non-Accredited Suppliers Stand to Lose
Under the framework, PAGCOR has made clear that services from unaccredited B2B suppliers will be considered illegal after the March 31 deadline. Their systems will be formally treated as “unauthorized,” and the regulator will be ready to order them shut down. In practice, this means unaccredited providers could see their games pulled off platforms or their software turned off at PAGCOR’s direction.
Tonet explained that operators can expect to receive cease-and-desist letters if they continue using vendors that have not completed accreditation, especially now that they are required to submit detailed supplier lists. This leaves both parties in a bit of a bind: providers who do not comply risk being shut out of the market, while operators who continue to work with them risk being brought before regulators themselves.
But there is more to the issue, and Arden goes on to note that many operators and aggregators have compliance clauses in their contracts. These clauses give them the right to suspend or terminate contracts with suppliers who are not in compliance with regulations. After the deadline, suppliers who sat out may find that these clauses are invoked, shutting down revenue streams that took years to build.
Reputation on the Line in a Global Industry
For some suppliers, the damage may not end in the Philippines. Arden warns that being sanctioned or dropped for non-compliance can weaken a company’s standing in other markets too. Gaming is a global industry, and regulators and partners share information. A firm that chooses to ignore 1 jurisdiction’s rules may find itself coming under sharper scrutiny elsewhere.
On the other hand, those that move early to comply can use their accredited status in the Philippines as proof of their commitment to regulation. Arden notes that some companies already highlight this in business discussions, using it to show that they take compliance as seriously as product quality. In an era when due diligence is strict and records matter, that kind of signal can be a real advantage.
Early Movers, Late Movers, and a Clearer Message
Arden’s paper also points to a pattern in how suppliers responded when the framework was first announced. Major international and publicly listed gaming suppliers largely moved quickly to apply and secure accreditation. One high-profile example is global supplier Light & Wonder, which, after becoming the first international systems aggregator and game content provider accredited by PAGCOR, even hosted a symposium for its Philippine-based customers during the 2025 IAG EXPO in Manila. According to Arden, getting early accreditation was a big message to operators that Light & Wonder was a low-risk, approved supplier.
However, Arden points out that there are more flexible ways to operate, such as through an accredited aggregator or distributor, for those who want to establish a presence without establishing a full local operation.
For Tonet, the January 2026 memo should erase any remaining uncertainty. She stated that the document indicates that PAGCOR is now enforcing the framework through the operators and the licensed entities themselves, using detailed supplier lists and the threat of cease-and-desist notices to enforce compliance. With the regulator making it clear that relying on operator discretion or regulatory inaction is no longer an option, Arden has noticed a significant increase in applications and inquiries about compliance. Even companies that were holding back before are now lining up to regularize their status before the full enforcement of the regulations takes hold.
Source: Inside Asian Gaming (IAG)
