Good morning. A split decision draws closer. PAGCOR’s long-planned separation of its regulatory and casino-operating roles could reach the Philippine president’s desk in August, with Alejandro Tengco banking on an executive order by year-end and privatization before 2028. He also sees electronic gaming driving a second-half recovery after first-quarter GGR slid 15.9 percent to $1.42 billion. In Sri Lanka, the first rules under a unified gambling framework have missed their June deadline, leaving licensing, online gaming, and anti-money laundering controls awaiting further review—and without a new timetable.

What you need to know

PAGCOR may take a step toward shedding its casino operations in August, while the Philippine gaming market is expected to recover in 2H26.
Sri Lanka has delayed its first unified gambling regulations after missing a June 30th deadline, with no revised date provided.

On the radar

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China, Thailand pledge stronger joint action against online gambling.
Singapore probe ties local firms to offshore World Cup betting site.
Goa bars under-21s from casino gaming areas, adds 18% penalty on fees.

AGB Intelligence

PHILIPPINES

PAGCOR casino separation plan moves closer to Palace review

PAGCOR’s plan to separate its regulatory and casino-operating functions could move forward in August, when the Governance Commission for Government-Owned or-Controlled Corporations (GCG) is expected to submit its recommendation to the Office of the President. Chairman Alejandro Tengco said the restructuring may be implemented through an Executive Order towards the end of 2026, leaving PAGCOR as a pure regulator. He also expects Philippine gaming performance to improve in the second half, led by electronic gaming.

Industry Updates

GEG strengthens responsible gaming push with World Cup-themed campaign.
Pay4Fun strengthens BetConstruct AI with Brazilian payment integration.
Aristocrat Interactive secures Loto-Québec deal for Canadian market.

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Written by AGBrief Editorial The AGBrief Editorial Team is a group of contributors living around the world that are connected to Asia Gaming Brief. They are active members in pursuing the sources of our news, making them reliable and accurate for our readers. More from AGBrief Editorial →