PAGCOR Licensed Online Casino Games To Play

Master popular casino games: Blackjack, Roulette, Slots, Baccarat, and Poker. Learn the rules, winning strategies, and key tips for each game.

Popular Casino Games Explained

Whether you're new to the world of online casinos or a seasoned player, understanding the games is key to a fun and rewarding experience. From the strategic card games to the pure chance of a spinning wheel, the Philippines' online casino scene offers a diverse array of options. This guide will walk you through the most popular casino games, explaining the rules and simple strategies to help you play with confidence.

Blackjack: The Game of 21

Blackjack is a classic card game where the goal is to beat the dealer's hand without exceeding a total of 21. It's a game of skill and strategy, not just luck, which makes it a favorite among many Filipino players.

How to Play

The game is played with one or more decks of 52 cards. Each card has a value:

Numbered cards (2-10) are worth their face value.
Face cards (Jack, Queen, King) are worth 10.
An Ace can be worth either 1 or 11, whichever is more favorable to your hand.

At the start of a round, you place your bet. The dealer then gives two cards to each player and two to themselves. One of the dealer's cards is face up (the "upcard"), and the other is face down (the "hole card").

After receiving your cards, you have a few options:

Hit: Ask for another card. You can hit as many times as you like, but if your total exceeds 21, you "bust" and lose your bet.
Stand: Keep your current hand and end your turn.
Double Down: Double your initial bet and receive only one more card. This is a good move when you have a strong hand (like a total of 10 or 11) and believe the next card will give you a winning hand.
Split: If your first two cards are a pair (e.g., two 8s), you can split them into two separate hands. You must place an additional bet equal to your original one for the new hand.

After all players have acted, the dealer reveals their hole card. The dealer must follow a fixed set of rules, usually hitting until their hand is 17 or higher. If the dealer busts, all remaining players win. If they don't, the hand closest to 21 wins. A winning hand typically pays 1:1, while a "blackjack" (an Ace and a 10-value card) pays 3:2.

Roulette: The Spinning Wheel of Fortune

Roulette is a game of pure chance and one of the most iconic casino games. The objective is simple: predict where a small ball will land on a spinning wheel. The game is highly popular in both land-based and online casinos in the Philippines, with its simple rules and potential for big payouts.

How to Play

A roulette table consists of a wheel and a betting layout. The wheel has numbered pockets from 1 to 36, colored red or black, and one or two green pockets for 0 (and 00 in American Roulette). You place your chips on the betting layout to indicate your predictions.

There are two main types of bets:

Inside Bets: These are placed on specific numbers or small groups of numbers. They have a higher payout but a lower chance of winning. Examples include betting on a single number (Straight Up) or on two adjacent numbers (Split).
Outside Bets: These are placed on larger groups of numbers, with a higher chance of winning but a lower payout (usually 1:1 or 2:1). Examples include betting on Red or Black, Odd or Even, or on a specific column or dozen of numbers.

After the bets are placed, the dealer spins the wheel and releases the ball. Once the ball lands, the dealer announces the winning number and pays out the winners. Your chips are then collected or paid based on the outcome.

While there are no strategies that can guarantee a win in roulette due to its random nature, understanding the difference between bet types and their odds is crucial for managing your bankroll.

Slots: The Reels of Excitement

Slots are arguably the most popular casino games in the Philippines, both in physical establishments and online. Their appeal lies in their simplicity, variety, and the potential for life-changing jackpots. You simply place a bet, spin the reels, and hope to land a winning combination of symbols.

Types of Slots

Online casinos in the Philippines offer a vast selection of slot games, each with a unique theme and features:

Classic Slots: Modeled after the original mechanical machines, these have a simple 3-reel design and traditional symbols like fruits, bars, and sevens.
Video Slots: The most common type of online slot. They feature intricate themes, high-quality graphics, and sound effects. They typically have 5 or more reels and come with bonus features like Free Spins, Wilds, and Scatters.
Progressive Jackpot Slots: These games are linked across a network of casinos. A small percentage of every bet placed on the game contributes to a central jackpot, which can grow to enormous, sometimes multi-million peso, amounts.

The key to slots is understanding the Return to Player (RTP) percentage. This is the theoretical percentage of all money wagered that a slot game will pay back to players over time. A higher RTP (e.g., 96% or more) is generally better for the player, though it does not guarantee a win on any single session.

Baccarat: The High-Roller's Favorite

Baccarat is a card game known for its elegance and is a favorite among high-rollers and VIP players. It's a game of chance, with a simple premise: bet on which of two hands—the "Player" or the "Banker"—will have a total closest to 9.

How to Play

The game is played with multiple decks of cards. Cards are scored as follows:

Aces are worth 1.
Cards 2-9 are worth their face value.
10s and face cards are worth 0.

The value of a hand is the last digit of the sum of the cards. For example, a hand of 7 and 8 totals 15, so its value is 5.

You can bet on one of three outcomes:

Player: Pays 1:1 if the Player's hand wins.
Banker: Pays 1:1 (minus a small commission, usually 5%) if the Banker's hand wins.
Tie: Pays 8:1 or 9:1 if both hands have the same value. This bet has the highest payout but the lowest chance of winning, making it a risky choice.

The dealer follows a strict set of rules to determine if a third card is drawn for either the Player or Banker hand. The player's decisions are limited to placing a bet, so it's a very straightforward game to play.

Poker: The Ultimate Game of Skill

Poker is a family of card games where players wager over which hand is best according to the game's specific rules and a standardized hierarchy of hands. Unlike other casino games, you play against other players, not the house, making it a game of deep strategy, psychology, and mathematical probability. While live poker rooms are popular in the Philippines, online poker allows players to compete from the comfort of their homes.

Poker Variants

The most popular variants played in the Philippines and worldwide are:

Texas Hold'em: The most well-known poker variant. Each player is dealt two "hole" cards, and they combine these with five community cards dealt face up on the table to make the best five-card hand. The game involves multiple rounds of betting.
Omaha Hold'em: Similar to Texas Hold'em, but players are dealt four hole cards and must use exactly two of them, plus exactly three of the five community cards, to form their hand.
Pusoy: A popular local variant in the Philippines, also known as Chinese Poker. Each of the four players receives 13 cards and must arrange them into three poker hands (a 3-card hand, a 5-card hand, and another 5-card hand). The hands are then compared against the other players' hands to determine who wins the round.

Mastering poker requires understanding hand rankings (from a Royal Flush down to a High Card), betting strategies, and the ability to read your opponents. Online poker is a great way to practice your skills and learn the game against a variety of opponents.