1. Introduction
Welcome to PHMaco — the online gaming and sports betting platform built for Filipino players who want a secure, fair, and exciting experience. This Privacy Policy governs how PHMaco ("we," "our," or "us") collects, processes, stores, and protects your personal data whenever you use our website at phmaco.best, register an account, place bets, or contact our support team.
We take data privacy seriously here at PHMaco. Whether you're a Kabayan placing your first bet or a seasoned player tracking your favourite NBA team, your personal information deserves proper protection. By accessing or using our platform, you agree to the practices described in this privacy policy. If you do not agree, please discontinue use of the site.
This policy is written in plain language so every Filipino player — from Luzon to Mindanao — can understand it without needing a lawyer. We follow applicable data privacy laws including the Republic Act No. 10173, otherwise known as the Data Privacy Act of 2012, and we are committed to upholding the rights of every registered member on PHMaco.
2. Information We Collect
PHMaco collects different types of personal data depending on how you interact with our platform. Here's a straightforward breakdown of what we gather:
Account Registration Data
- Full legal name as it appears on your government-issued ID
- Email address and mobile number (used for account verification and notifications)
- Date of birth (to confirm you meet the minimum age requirement of 21 years old in the Philippines)
- Username and encrypted password
- Preferred currency (PHP — Philippine Peso)
Financial and Transaction Data
- GCash account number or Maya wallet ID used for deposits and withdrawals
- GrabPay, Coins.ph, or InstaPay/PESONet account details
- BDO, BPI, or UnionBank account or routing information
- Visa/Mastercard card number (last four digits only, full card data is never stored on our servers)
- Transaction history, deposit amounts, and withdrawal records
Identity Verification (KYC) Data
- Scanned copy or photo of a valid Philippine government ID (e.g., PhilSys ID, Passport, Driver's License, UMID, SSS/GSIS ID)
- Selfie or liveness verification image
- Proof of address (e.g., utility bill, barangay certificate)
Technical and Usage Data
- IP address, browser type, and device information
- Pages visited, time spent on the platform, and game activity logs
- Cookies and session identifiers (see Section 7 on Cookies)
- Referral source and affiliate codes (for our Refer a Friend programme)
We do not collect sensitive personal information beyond what is required for identity verification, fraud prevention, and compliance with Philippine gaming regulations. PHMaco does not sell, rent, or trade your personal data to third-party marketers.
3. How We Use Your Information
Every piece of data PHMaco collects has a purpose. Here's exactly how we use your information:
- Account management: To create, maintain, and secure your PHMaco player account.
- Identity verification: To comply with Know Your Customer (KYC) requirements and anti-money laundering (AML) regulations in the Philippines.
- Payment processing: To process your deposits via GCash, Maya, GrabPay, and other local payment channels, and to facilitate withdrawals directly to your preferred Philippine account.
- Customer support: To respond to your enquiries, resolve disputes, and assist with account issues — whether you message us via email or live chat.
- Responsible gaming: To monitor betting patterns, enforce deposit limits, and intervene if signs of problem gambling are detected — because your wellbeing matters more than your bets.
- Platform improvement: To analyse usage patterns and improve game performance, site speed, and the overall experience on PHMaco.
- Marketing communications: To send you promotions, bonus offers, and relevant updates — only if you have opted in. You can unsubscribe at any time.
- Fraud prevention and security: To detect suspicious account activity, prevent unauthorised access, and protect the integrity of the platform.
- Legal compliance: To fulfil our obligations under Philippine law, including reporting requirements to relevant regulatory bodies.
4. Sharing of Personal Data
PHMaco does not sell your personal data. However, we may share it with the following parties under strict data-sharing agreements:
- Payment service providers: GCash, Maya, GrabPay, Coins.ph, InstaPay, PESONet operators, and partner banks (BDO, BPI, UnionBank) to process financial transactions securely.
- Identity verification partners: Third-party KYC service providers that help us verify government IDs and conduct liveness checks in compliance with Philippine regulations.
- Technology providers: Cloud hosting and infrastructure partners who store encrypted data on our behalf, subject to strict confidentiality agreements.
- Regulatory authorities: Philippine government agencies and gaming regulators when required by law or official request.
- Fraud and security partners: Cybersecurity vendors who help us detect and prevent fraudulent activity on the platform.
All third parties with whom PHMaco shares data are required to handle your information in accordance with the Data Privacy Act of 2012 and our internal data security standards. We do not authorise these partners to use your data for their own marketing or commercial purposes.
5. Data Security Measures
Protecting your data is not just a legal obligation — it's something PHMaco genuinely cares about. Here's what we do to keep your information secure:
- SSL/TLS encryption: All data transmitted between your browser and our servers is encrypted using industry-standard Transport Layer Security (TLS 1.3).
- Password hashing: We never store your password in plain text. All passwords are hashed using bcrypt with a high work factor.
- Two-factor authentication (2FA): Players are encouraged to enable 2FA for an additional layer of account security.
- Access controls: Internal access to player data is restricted to authorised personnel only, based on the principle of least privilege.
- Regular security audits: Our infrastructure undergoes periodic penetration testing and vulnerability assessments conducted by independent cybersecurity firms.
- Data breach response: In the unlikely event of a data breach, PHMaco will notify affected players and the National Privacy Commission (NPC) within 72 hours as required by law.
6. Data Retention
PHMaco retains your personal data for as long as your account remains active and for a period thereafter as required by Philippine law. Specifically:
- Account and KYC data: Retained for a minimum of five (5) years after account closure to comply with AML regulations.
- Transaction records: Kept for five (5) years as mandated by financial reporting requirements.
- Communication logs (support tickets, live chat transcripts): Retained for two (2) years.
- Marketing data: Deleted upon unsubscription or within thirty (30) days of your request.
Once the applicable retention period has lapsed and there is no legal obligation to retain the data, PHMaco will securely delete or anonymise your personal information.
7. Cookies and Tracking Technologies
PHMaco uses cookies and similar tracking technologies to enhance your experience on the platform. These are small text files stored on your device when you visit our site. Here's what we use:
- Essential cookies: Required for the platform to function properly — including keeping you logged in and remembering your preferences.
- Analytics cookies: Help us understand how players navigate the site so we can improve page performance and game loading times.
- Security cookies: Used to detect and prevent fraudulent activity and protect your account from unauthorised access.
- Marketing cookies: Only activated if you have given explicit consent; used to show relevant PHMaco promotions.
You can manage cookie preferences through your browser settings. Note that disabling essential cookies may affect your ability to use certain features of the PHMaco platform.
8. Your Rights as a Data Subject
Under the Data Privacy Act of 2012, you have the following rights as a PHMaco registered player:
- Right to be informed: You have the right to know what data we hold about you and how it's being used.
- Right to access: You can request a copy of your personal data held by PHMaco at any time.
- Right to rectification: If any of your personal information is inaccurate or outdated, you can request a correction.
- Right to erasure: You may request deletion of your data, subject to our legal retention obligations.
- Right to object: You can object to the processing of your data for marketing purposes at any time.
- Right to data portability: You can request your data in a structured, machine-readable format.
- Right to lodge a complaint: If you feel your privacy rights have been violated, you can file a complaint with the National Privacy Commission (NPC) of the Philippines.
To exercise any of these rights, please contact our Data Privacy Officer at privacy@phmaco.best. We will respond to verified requests within fifteen (15) business days.
9. Minors and Age Restriction
PHMaco strictly prohibits persons under the age of 21 from registering an account or participating in any form of online gambling on our platform. We do not knowingly collect personal data from minors. If we discover that a player has provided false information about their age to gain access to the platform, we will immediately suspend the account, void any winnings, and delete the associated personal data.
If you believe a minor has registered on PHMaco without authorisation, please contact us immediately at privacy@phmaco.best so we can act swiftly.
10. Updates to This Privacy Policy
PHMaco may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our data practices, platform features, or applicable laws. When we make significant changes, we will notify registered players via email or an in-platform notice. The "Last Updated" date at the top of this page indicates when the most recent revision was made.
We encourage you to review this policy periodically to stay informed about how PHMaco protects your data. Continued use of the platform after any changes constitutes your acceptance of the updated policy.
11. Contact Our Data Privacy Officer
For any questions, concerns, or requests related to your personal data and this privacy policy, you can reach PHMaco's Data Privacy Officer directly:
- Email: privacy@phmaco.best
- Response time: Within 15 business days for verified data subject requests
- Office hours: Monday to Friday, 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM Philippine Standard Time (PST)
For urgent concerns regarding account security or suspected data breaches, please also contact our 24/7 customer support team via the live chat feature on the PHMaco platform.
