By Need to talk to someone now?
PAGCOR National Problem Gambling Helpline
Free, confidential, 24 hours a day, every day. You can call for yourself or for someone you're worried about, and you don't need to have "hit bottom" first.
Warning signs that gambling is becoming a problem
Be honest with yourself. In the past few months, have you:
- Topped up with money meant for rent, bills, tuition or family?
- Borrowed, used an online lending app, or pawned something to keep playing?
- Played longer or bet bigger to recover losses, the "isang taya na lang para bawi" feeling?
- Hidden how much you play from people close to you?
- Felt restless, irritable or anxious when you tried to cut back?
- Lost sleep, missed work, or skipped family time because of gaming?
Kahit isa o dalawa lang ang tumama, that's a good moment to call. It's easier to change course early.
Set limits before you play
| Tool | What it does | Where to look |
|---|---|---|
| Deposit limit | Caps how much you can add per day, week or month | Account or responsible-gaming settings on licensed sites, or ask support |
| Time reminder | Tells you how long you've been playing | Account settings, where available, or your phone's own screen-time tools |
| Cool-off | Pauses your account for a short, fixed period | Account settings or the site's support team |
| Self-exclusion | Bars you from gaming for a longer period | The operator, or through PAGCOR (see below) |
Simple habits help too: decide your session budget in the Budget Planner, set a phone alarm for when you'll stop, delete saved payment details from gaming accounts, and don't play when tired, stressed or drinking.
Self-exclusion and PAGCOR's NDRP
PAGCOR maintains a National Database of Restricted Persons (NDRP). People on it are barred from PAGCOR-regulated gaming. A player can ask to be included, and family members can also apply to have a relative restricted.
To do this, apply through PAGCOR. The current forms, requirements and periods are on pagcor.ph, and the helpline at (02) 8248-9568 can point you in the right direction. We don't describe the steps in detail here because PAGCOR sets and updates them, and we'd rather you get them straight from the source.
You can also ask any licensed operator for a cool-off or self-exclusion on your account directly, through its responsible-gaming settings or support.
Who is allowed to play?
PAGCOR-regulated gaming is only for adults 21 and older. Government officials and employees, members of the military and the police are barred regardless of age. More on the legal side in is online gambling legal in the Philippines.
If you're worried about a family member
- Pick a calm moment to talk. Shame and shouting usually push the gambling further out of sight.
- Don't lend or pay off gambling debts "this one last time." It tends to keep the cycle going.
- Protect shared money: separate accounts, change shared PINs, and watch for unfamiliar loans.
- Call the helpline yourself for advice. You don't need the player's permission to ask for help.
- Ask PAGCOR about a family application to the NDRP.
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