The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation Board of Directors has approved version 1.1 of the PAGCOR Technical Standards for Electronic Gaming Machines (PTS-EGM).
PAGCOR informed AGB that the new PAGCOR EGM Technical Standards will take effect on January 1st, 2024.
In line with the implementation of the new PTS-EGM version 1.1, PAGCOR reminds that shipment requests for EGMs compliant with PTS-EGM v1.0, for games in operation at PAGCOR-operated and regulated casinos, “shall be accepted until June 30, 2024 only.” Shipment requests for EGMs compliant with the previous version for new EGMs (not currently used in PAGCOR-operated and regulated casinos) “shall be accepted until December 31, 2023 only.”
In the detailed documents, PAGCOR mentions that the objective of these standards is to guarantee that wagering on EGMs in PAGCOR-regulated casinos is conducted in a “fair, secure, reliable, and auditable manner.”
“These standards also establish the requirements for the design and operation of EGMs and provide guidance to testing laboratories and certification entities regarding EGM technical compliance.”
PAGCOR first announced the updates to the EGM Technical Standards at the sidelines of the ASEAN Gaming Summit earlier in March this year, noting that the update comes after nearly 10 years since the group’s last change to EGM standards.
The regulator also notes that this change follows Macau’s push to implement its 2.0 EGM standards in 2021, which will only come into full effect in 2026 in the SAR.
PAGCOR emphasizes that technical standards require EGMs to operate with a high degree of accuracy and reliability, ensuring that players receive correct payouts and that the machines perform as intended. The next objective is to protect the players.
