PAGCOR says tech fuels illegal gambling operators

THE PHILIPPINE Amusement and Gaming Corp. (PAGCOR) has raised alarm over evolving technologies that enable illegal unstable environment that prop up unlicensed operators.

In a statement released Monday, PAGCOR said evolving technologies pose threats to the legal gaming industry due to the proliferation of online gambling driven by mobile accessibility.

“There are three forces — technology as the tool, the criminal divide as the motive, and social impact as the public outcry — that create a perfect storm which threatens the integrity of the legal gaming industry,” PAGCOR Vice-President for Human Resource and Development Group Angelito Domingo said.

PAGCOR’s warning comes amid heightened scrutiny over the social costs of online gambling, including rising addiction rates among Filipinos.

The government is currently weighing policy options, including tighter regulation with increased taxation or an outright ban on online gambling.

Mr. Domingo said a three-pronged gaming education framework can help address the problem.

This includes implementing a gaming education framework focused on player education, operator training, and public outreach to counter growing social concerns associated with illegal online gambling.

“This framework envisions stronger collaboration among gaming and financial regulators, licensed operators, law enforcement, non-government organizations, the community, and the players themselves,” he said.

The PAGCOR executive also urged that operator training should involve mandatory certification to ensure that frontline staff can identify and respond to problem gamblers. — Aubrey Rose A. Inosante