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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Influencers promoting illegal gambling? House joint panel wants answers

Influencers promoting illegal gambling? House joint panel wants answers

Published Jul 17, 2024 07:46 am

At A Glance

  • A House of Representatives joint panel on Wednesday, July 17, is urging the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (Pagcor) to compile a list of social media influencers who are promoting illegal gambling operators through Facebook, TikTok, and YouTube.

Gambling(Unsplash)

 

 

 

 

 

A House of Representatives joint panel on Wednesday, July 17, is urging the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (Pagcor) to compile a list of social media influencers who are promoting illegal gambling operators through Facebook, TikTok, and YouTube.

During the motu proprio inquiry into Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) by the Committees on Public Order and Safety and Games and Amusements, Pagcor Assistant Vice President Jessa Mariz Fernandez told the House members that the proliferation of illegal operators and online casinos is among the most urgent concerns for the agency.

Fernandez noted that these operators were illegal since they didn’t possess a license from Pagcor to either become an Internet Gaming Licensee (IGL), a service provider, or as a special class of BPO (business process outsourcing).

She said these companies have employed “countermeasures to mask illegal activities” and recently, even used the popularity of some social media influencers.

“Ito po napapansin po namin at namo-monitor din po namin na marami pong mga influencers ang gumagamit ng platform nila (This is what we have noticed and we are also monitoring that many influencers are using their platform) such as Facebook, TikTok, YouTube to encourage prospective players to try their luck on illegal platforms,” Fernandez told the joint panel.

“Pino-promote po nila ang website or ang isang laro…[para] maglaro kahit na wala ‘yung lisensya sa Pagcor,” she added.

(They are promoting the website or a game...so that it can be played even if it doesn't have the Pagcor license.)

These illegal gambling sites appear to be legal given their habit of using the agency’s logos, new or old, to entice players.

“Ito pong mga illegal game offerings na ‘to kamukha rin sila ng mga ibang games na ino-offer ng mga legal but they have no player protection. Wala silang contribution to the country’s gross gaming revenue. Wala rin silang customer verification. So, maraming mga kabataan ang maaari pong makalaro sa mga illegal platforms na ito,” noted Fernandez.

(These illegal game offerings, they look like other games offered by legal ones but they have no player protection. They have no contribution to the country's gross gaming revenue. They also don't have customer verification. So, many young people can play on these illegal platforms.)

According to Pagcor Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Alejandro Tengco, the agency has reported 7,747 illegal casinos and operators to the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC).

“Of that, close to about 74 percent have been shut down by the their respective companies and by the [NTC],” said Tengco.

Santa Rosa City lone district Rep. Dan Fernandez, chairman of the Committee on Public Order and Safety, asked Tengco to provide the panel with the list of the reported illegal operators as well as social media influencers who promoted illegal gambling.

“Submit to us para (so) at least we can coordinate with the BIR (Bureau of Internal Revenue) and also the DICT (Department Of Information And Communications Technology) para (so) we can take action on those people,” said Fernandez.

Related Tags

social media influencers Illegal gambling PAGCOR
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