The head of the Philippine Amusement & Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) has cautioned against a proposed total ban on internet gambling in the Philippines, advocating instead for improved regulation.
Alejandro Tengco, PAGCOR Chairman, believes that enhanced oversight, rather than extreme measures, is necessary for the industry’s health and economic contribution.
Discussing a new Bill proposed by Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri, which suggests suspending all online gambling, Tengco argued that this approach is excessive, emphasizing the need for better regulatory frameworks over blanket restrictions on a sector that is economically significant.
A competing proposal from Senator Sherwin Gatchalian aims to learn from international gambling models, suggesting more stringent onboarding for operators and stricter advertising controls.
Gatchalian’s Bill also proposes excluding platforms like GCash and Maya from payment options and setting a top-up limit of PHP10,000 (US$$177).
Tengco supports stricter regulations that would preserve the industry’s contributions to the national economy, saying: “PAGCOR’s current stand is not a total ban, but stricter regulation.”
Regulated gambling companies provide substantial tax revenue, and also supports ancillary businesses, boosting sectors like security, transportation and hospitality.
Tengco highlighted the dominance of illegal operators, which account for 50% to 55% of the market. He argued that effective regulation could capture a greater market share from these illegal operators, cautioning against heavy-handed restrictions that fail to address underlying issues, potentially causing unintended consequences.
