Alejandro Tengco has headed PAGCOR, the Philippines’ state-run gaming regulator, since August 2022. He’s the official who carried out the country’s ban on offshore gaming operators. Now he’s steering PAGCOR through a market slowdown and a plan to split its regulator and casino roles.
Who Is Alejandro Tengco?
Alejandro Hipolito Tengco is a Filipino businessman and former local official who now runs the country’s gaming regulator. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. picked him in August 2022 to take over from Andrea Domingo.
Ateneo de Manila University gave Alejandro Tengco a business management degree in 1982. Law school at Ateneo followed until 1984, though he never practiced.
Alejandro Tengco’s Career Before PAGCOR
Before PAGCOR, Alejandro Tengco spent more than 30 years in politics, telecoms, food, and construction.
He first entered politics in Bulacan, serving four years as Malolos’s vice mayor from 1988. After that, he spent 12 years at telecom company PLDT, leaving in 2004.
He ran the construction firm Nationstar Development Corporation as President and CEO, from 2015 until 2022. One of its jobs was the makeover of the natural history museum in Manila.
| Years | Role |
| 1988–1992 | Vice mayor, Malolos City |
| 1992–2004 | Executive assistant, later government affairs, at PLDT |
| 2007–2014 | Chief operating officer, JBROS Construction |
| 2015–2022 | Top executive, Nationstar Development Corporation |
| 2022–present | Head of PAGCOR (chairman and CEO) |
How Alejandro Tengco Has Led PAGCOR Since 2022
Tengco took over during a post-pandemic rebound, and his first three years show it.
PAGCOR’s own income hit a record PHP 58.96 billion in 2022, about two-thirds higher than in 2021. Gross gaming revenue (GGR) is what operators keep after paying winners. Across the industry, GGR nearly doubled from roughly PHP 214 billion in 2022 to PHP 396 billion in 2025.
In 2025, online and electronic games brought in just over half of all GGR for the first time. Manila’s integrated resorts still matter, though, and they retook the lead in Q2 2026. One is City of Dreams Manila, operated by the group led by Melco chairman Lawrence Ho.
In 2024, the Asia-Pacific edition of the Global Gaming Awards named him its top executive.
The POGO Ban: Tengco’s Biggest Test
POGOs, short for Philippine offshore gaming operators, were licensed firms that took bets from gamblers abroad. Many of their hubs became tied to scams and other crimes.
The previous government licensed 298 POGOs. Under Alejandro Tengco, PAGCOR pulled licenses from scam-linked operators, leaving just 43 by mid-2024.
Marcos went further in July 2024, announcing a full ban in his yearly address to Congress. By the last day of 2024, PAGCOR had cancelled every license left. Marcos signed the Anti-POGO Act in October 2025, which made the ban permanent.
The ban had a cost: Tengco estimated about 31,000 Filipinos worked directly for legal POGOs. In the US, though, “offshore” means something else. It usually describes offshore casinos that accept US players.
The Challenges Facing Alejandro Tengco in 2026
Tengco’s second half in office looks harder than his first.
In Q2 2026, GGR slid 20.3% year over year to PHP 88.13 billion. PAGCOR now expects its own income to fall about 18% this year.
Tengco blames rising oil prices and tighter rules, such as unlinking payment apps from gambling sites. He has also refused to lift the March 2024 pause on new online licenses. Only 48 online operators still hold one, down from a high of 74.
Meanwhile, PAGCOR is building an app, due by late 2026, that helps players spot licensed sites. It’s the same idea behind the online casino safety checks US players can run themselves.
The bigger project is pulling PAGCOR’s referee and player roles apart. Today it runs casinos while it oversees their rivals, and it plans to sell them off. In mid-September 2026, the plan was still under government review.
In late 2025, critics raised conflict-of-interest claims over Nationstar’s public works contracts. He says he began handing his shares to his children in 2019.
PAGCOR vs US Gaming Regulators
The Philippine model Alejandro Tengco oversees works very differently from the US system. In the US, each state writes its own rules, as our guide on how US gambling laws work explains.
| Feature | PAGCOR (Philippines) | US State Regulators |
| Who regulates | One national, state-owned corporation | Separate commissions in each state |
| Runs its own casinos | Yes, through Casino Filipino | No |
| Leader appointed by | The President of the Philippines | Varies by state, often the governor |
| Online casino games | Licensed nationally, new licenses frozen | Legal in only a handful of states |
| Where gaming money goes | National programs and agencies | State budgets |
The biggest gap is ownership, since US regulators don’t run casinos. US readers can compare legal casino options by state before they play.
The Bottom Line
Alejandro Tengco came to PAGCOR as a builder and businessman, not a gaming insider. Still, he delivered the POGO ban and record revenue in his first three years.
Now he has to split PAGCOR’s two roles while revenue shrinks. Marcos’s term ends in June 2028.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who leads PAGCOR right now?
Alejandro Tengco does, as both chairman and CEO. Marcos gave him the job in August 2022.
What did Alejandro Tengco do before PAGCOR?
He began as a local politician in Malolos, then worked at PLDT until 2004. His last private-sector job was running Nationstar Development Corporation.
Why did the Philippines ban POGOs?
The government tied many offshore gaming hubs to scams and other crimes. Marcos announced a nationwide ban in July 2024. PAGCOR revoked the final licenses by year-end.
What awards has Alejandro Tengco won?
The Global Gaming Awards picked him as its Asia-Pacific executive standout for 2024. In February 2026, Skål International Makati also honored him as its top entertainment tourism leader.
Can US players gamble at PAGCOR-licensed sites?
No. PAGCOR’s online licenses cover players in the Philippines, and the POGO ban ended licenses aimed at foreign players. US players should check a site’s license first and avoid the casinos we’ve blacklisted.
