Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

1.1 This Privacy Policy ("Policy") describes how 9apps ("we," "us," or "the Company") collects, uses, discloses, and protects the personal information of individuals ("Users," "you," or "Player") who access or use the 9apps online gaming platform at https://9apps.biz (the "Platform").

1.2 9apps is a Philippines-based online gaming operator subject to the regulatory oversight of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation ("PAGCOR"). We are committed to protecting the privacy and security of every player on the 9apps Platform in compliance with Republic Act No. 10173, the Data Privacy Act of the Philippines ("DPA"), and its implementing rules and regulations.

1.3 This Policy should be read together with the 9apps Terms & Conditions and our Responsible Gaming Policy, both of which are incorporated by reference into this Policy.

2. Data Controller

2.1 For the purposes of the Data Privacy Act of the Philippines, the data controller responsible for your personal information is 9apps, operating from the Philippines under PAGCOR regulatory authority.

2.2 Our designated Data Protection Officer ("DPO") can be reached at: [email protected]. The DPO is responsible for overseeing 9apps's data protection strategy and ensuring compliance with the DPA. You may contact the DPO for any data privacy-related inquiry, complaint, or request.

3. Personal Data We Collect

3.1 9apps collects personal data through multiple channels as described below. We collect only the minimum data necessary for the stated purpose.

3.1 Data Provided Directly by You

• Registration data: Full name, date of birth, gender, Philippine mobile number, email address, username, and account password (stored as a hashed value — never in plain text).
• Identity verification (KYC): Government-issued ID (e.g., PhilSys, SSS, UMID, passport, driver's licence), selfie for liveness check, and proof of address where required for high-value withdrawal processing.
• Payment data: GCash mobile number, Maya account reference, BPI/BDO/Metrobank account details, and Visa/Mastercard card details. Full card numbers are not stored on 9apps servers; they are processed through PCI-DSS-certified payment gateways.
• Support communications: Records of live chat conversations, emails, and support tickets you initiate with 9apps.

3.2 Data Collected Automatically

• Device and technical data: IP address, device type, operating system, browser type and version, screen resolution, and mobile network operator.
• Usage data: Pages viewed, games played, bet amounts and outcomes, session duration, login timestamps, and in-game behavior patterns.
• Geolocation data: Approximate location derived from IP address, used to verify Philippine residency and comply with geographic access restrictions.
• Cookie data: Session identifiers, preference settings, and analytics tracking tokens. See Section 7 for full cookie details.

4. How We Use Your Personal Data

9apps uses collected personal data for the following purposes:

• Account creation and management: To register your 9apps account, verify your identity, and maintain your player profile.
• Age and eligibility verification: To confirm that all players are Filipino residents aged 21 or above, as required by PAGCOR and Philippine law.
• Transaction processing: To process GCash deposits, Maya transfers, bank transfers, and withdrawal requests accurately and securely.
• Gaming services: To deliver the games, live dealer streams, sports betting markets, bingo rooms, and all other 9apps Platform features you use.
• Bonus and promotions management: To credit bonus funds, track wagering requirements, and administer loyalty program points on your 9apps account.
• Fraud prevention and security: To detect and prevent unauthorized access, money laundering, bonus abuse, and other prohibited conduct.
• Responsible gaming compliance: To monitor gaming behavior for signs of problem gambling and to enforce deposit limits, cooling-off periods, and self-exclusion requests.
• Legal and regulatory compliance: To meet reporting obligations to PAGCOR, the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC), and other authorities as required by Philippine law.
• Customer support: To respond to your queries, complaints, and requests through live chat, email, or other support channels.
• Platform improvement: To analyze aggregate usage data (in anonymized form) to improve the 9apps Platform, fix bugs, and develop new features.

5. Legal Bases for Processing

Under the Data Privacy Act of the Philippines, 9apps processes personal data on the following legal bases:

• Contractual necessity: Processing required to perform the agreement between you and 9apps (e.g., account registration, payment processing, game delivery).
• Legal obligation: Processing required to comply with PAGCOR licensing conditions, the Anti-Money Laundering Act, the Data Privacy Act, and other applicable Philippine laws.
• Legitimate interests: Processing for fraud prevention, platform security, and responsible gaming monitoring, where these interests are not overridden by your privacy rights.
• Consent: Where required by law, we will seek your explicit consent before processing, particularly for marketing communications. You may withdraw consent at any time without affecting the lawfulness of prior processing.

6. Data Sharing and Disclosure

6.1 9apps does not sell your personal data. We share personal information only in the limited circumstances described below.

6.2 Regulatory and law enforcement authorities. 9apps shares data with PAGCOR, the AMLC, the National Privacy Commission ("NPC"), and Philippine law enforcement agencies where required by law, court order, or regulatory directive. We share only the minimum data necessary to satisfy the legal requirement.

6.3 Payment processors. Financial data is shared with licensed payment service providers (including GCash, Maya, and banking partners) to facilitate deposits and withdrawals. These providers are bound by their own regulatory obligations and security standards.

6.4 Game content providers. To deliver live dealer and slot games, 9apps shares session and authentication tokens with certified game providers. These providers receive only the technical data necessary to run the game and are prohibited from using your data for any other purpose.

6.5 Professional advisors. Personal data may be disclosed to 9apps's legal counsel, auditors, and compliance consultants where strictly necessary and subject to professional confidentiality obligations.

6.6 Business transfers. In the event of a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets involving 9apps, your personal data may be transferred to the successor entity, subject to the same privacy protections described in this Policy.

7. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

7.1 9apps uses cookies and similar tracking technologies to operate and improve the Platform. A cookie is a small text file stored on your device by your browser.

7.2 Types of cookies used on 9apps:

• Essential cookies: Required for the Platform to function. These include session authentication tokens and security cookies. They cannot be disabled without breaking Platform functionality.
• Functional cookies: Used to remember your preferences such as language settings and preferred game categories.
• Analytics cookies: Used in anonymized form to understand how players interact with the 9apps Platform, which pages are visited most, and where technical errors occur. This data informs Platform improvements.
• Fraud prevention cookies: Used to detect and prevent unauthorized access, bot activity, and suspicious login patterns.

7.3 You may control non-essential cookies through your browser settings. Note that disabling certain cookies may affect Platform functionality. 9apps does not use third-party advertising cookies or behavioral profiling for marketing purposes.

8. Data Security

8.1 9apps implements industry-standard technical and organizational security measures to protect your personal data against unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction. These measures include:

• 256-bit TLS/SSL encryption for all data in transit between your device and 9apps servers.
• AES-256 encryption for sensitive data stored at rest, including financial data and identity documents.
• Passwords stored as salted cryptographic hashes — never in plain text. 9apps personnel cannot see your password.
• Access controls limiting data access to authorized personnel on a need-to-know basis.
• Regular penetration testing and security audits by independent cybersecurity firms.
• 24/7 monitoring for suspicious access patterns, unusual transaction volumes, and security anomalies.

8.2 Despite these measures, no data transmission over the internet can be guaranteed to be 100% secure. You are responsible for maintaining the security of your own account credentials.

8.3 In the event of a personal data breach that is likely to affect your rights and freedoms, 9apps will notify you and the National Privacy Commission (NPC) within seventy-two (72) hours of becoming aware of the breach, in compliance with the Data Privacy Act.

9. Data Retention

9.1 9apps retains personal data for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this Policy, subject to the following minimum retention periods:

• Account data: Retained for the duration of your account plus five (5) years after account closure, in compliance with PAGCOR and AMLC record-keeping requirements.
• Financial transaction records: Retained for a minimum of five (5) years from the date of the transaction, as required by the Anti-Money Laundering Act.
• KYC documents: Retained for a minimum of five (5) years after account closure or the last transaction, whichever is later.
• Support communication records: Retained for two (2) years from the date of the interaction.
• Analytics data: Aggregated and anonymized after twelve (12) months; anonymized data may be retained indefinitely.

9.2 Upon expiry of the applicable retention period, personal data will be securely deleted or anonymized. You may request early deletion of specific data categories subject to our regulatory retention obligations.

10. Your Data Subject Rights

Under the Data Privacy Act of the Philippines, you have the following rights in relation to your personal data held by 9apps:

• Right to be informed: The right to know what personal data 9apps collects and how it is used — fulfilled by this Privacy Policy.
• Right of access: The right to request a copy of the personal data 9apps holds about you.
• Right to correction: The right to request correction of inaccurate or incomplete personal data. You may update most account details directly from your 9apps account settings.
• Right to object: The right to object to processing of your personal data in certain circumstances, particularly for direct marketing or profiling purposes.
• Right to erasure / blocking: The right to request deletion or blocking of personal data in certain circumstances, subject to our legal retention obligations.
• Right to data portability: The right to receive a copy of your personal data in a structured, machine-readable format where technically feasible.
• Right to lodge a complaint: The right to file a complaint with the National Privacy Commission (NPC) of the Philippines if you believe your data privacy rights have been violated.

To exercise any of these rights, contact our Data Protection Officer at [email protected]. We will respond to verified requests within thirty (30) days.

11. Children and Minors

11.1 The 9apps Platform is strictly intended for Filipino adults aged twenty-one (21) and above. We do not knowingly collect personal data from individuals under the age of 21.

11.2 If 9apps discovers that personal data has been collected from a person under 21, the associated account will be suspended immediately and all personal data deleted, subject to any mandatory regulatory retention obligations.

11.3 If you believe that a minor has registered an account on 9apps, please notify us immediately at [email protected].

12. Cross-Border Data Transfers

12.1 Where 9apps transfers personal data to service providers or partners located outside the Philippines (for example, international game content providers or payment processors), we ensure that such transfers comply with the Data Privacy Act and that appropriate safeguards are in place, including contractual data protection clauses equivalent to Philippine DPA standards.

12.2 We will not transfer your personal data to jurisdictions that do not provide an adequate level of data protection without your explicit consent, except where required by law.

13. Amendments to This Policy

13.1 9apps reserves the right to update or amend this Privacy Policy at any time. Material changes will be communicated to registered Users via the email address on their 9apps account at least fourteen (14) days before the changes take effect.

13.2 Continued use of the 9apps Platform after a revised Privacy Policy takes effect constitutes your acceptance of the revised Policy. The date at the top of this page reflects when the Policy was last updated. The most current version is always available at https://9apps.biz/privacy-policy.

14. Contact and Data Protection Officer

For any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or your personal data, please contact 9apps through the following channels:

• Data Protection Officer email: [email protected] (plain text — not a clickable link)
• Live chat: Available 24/7 from your 9apps account dashboard after logging in
• Response time: DPO email responses within 3 business days; live chat within 2 minutes

If you are not satisfied with 9apps's response to a data privacy concern, you have the right to escalate your complaint to the National Privacy Commission of the Philippines (NPC) at www.privacy.gov.ph.