PAGCOR orders removal of gambling billboards, advertisements by Aug. 15
PAGCOR has ordered the removal of gambling billboards and out-of-home advertisements by Aug. 15 as part of its efforts to regulate promotions of the vice.
In a statement sent to PhilSTAR L!fe on July 11, the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation said it issued a memorandum ordering licensees, suppliers, system administrators, and gaming venue operators to take down gambling ad materials, including those displayed on trains, buses, jeepneys, and taxis.
The agency said only its approved institutional or responsible gaming campaigns will be permitted moving forward.
PAGCOR Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Alejandro Tengco said stakeholders must also submit an inventory of their existing billboard and wallscape advertisements by July 16. It must include the size, material, location, rental contract expiration, and the corresponding permit number from the Ad Standards Council.
“While PAGCOR is mandated to regulate the gaming industry and generate revenues for nation-building, we do not want to encourage a culture of gambling addiction,” Tengco said. “Regulating excessive and pervasive gambling advertisements is a critical step in protecting vulnerable sectors of society, especially the youth.”
PAGCOR noted that non-compliance will be dealt with accordingly. It also warned against replacing the dismantled gambling ads with new ones.
PAGCOR's move came on the heels of FinTech Alliance Philippines, the country's largest organization of financial technology companies, announcing stricter safeguards and control mechanisms for the use of digital payment platforms for online gambling activities.
Lito Villanueva, the founding chairman of FinTech Alliance Philippines, said that they're aligned with the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas "in ensuring that access to payment channels for online licensed gaming is strictly controlled, and that all FinTech Alliance members adopt robust due diligence measures.”
Their measures include enhanced due diligence of merchant accounts classified under licensed online gaming; real-time detection, monitoring, and blacklisting of illegal and unregulated platforms; and full compliance with BSP-imposed restrictions and enforcement actions on payment channels found to be violating laws.
They also aim to boost education and literacy efforts, especially for vulnerable consumers.
Earlier this year, the BSP issued a draft circular addressing the digital marketplace operations of banks and electronic money issuers. The circular included a rule barring them from offering products or services connected to gambling activities like online casinos, online betting, and electronic gaming.
The Department of Finance, meanwhile, is also looking into taxing online gaming activities.
Lawmakers have also sought to regulate the industry, with others seeking to outright ban it.
Sen. Migz Zubiri on July 4 filed a bill seeking to completely ban online gambling in the country, covering digital betting platforms, mobile applications and websites that allow users to place wagers through phones, tablets, and computers. Under the bill, internet service providers, mobile network operators, and digital platforms are mandated to block access to gambling websites and remove related apps within 72 hours upon notice from the Department of Justice or PAGCOR. The bill covers local and offshore-operated gambling sites that cater to Filipino users.
In the House of Representatives, two lawmakers have submitted resolutions calling for a legislative probe into online gambling. Rep. Nathaniel Oducado of the 1Tahanan Party-list introduced House Resolution 42 on July 9, aiming to assess the impact of online gambling on Filipinos, including financial setbacks, mental health issues, and links to criminal activity.Rep. Brian Poe filed House Resolution 40, which seeks to investigate illegal and unregulated offshore gambling operators.
