PAGCOR Exec: Evolving technologies pose threats to legal gaming industry

An official of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) said the local gaming industry must recognize that technological advances are fueling an unstable environment where illegal operators can thrive while legitimate businesses struggle.

Speaking at the inaugural Asia-Pacific Regulators’ Forum on Thursday, September 11, at the Newport World Resorts, PAGCOR Vice President for Human Resource and Development Group Dr. Angelito Domingo said a three-pronged gaming education framework can help address the problem.

“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,” he said.

Dr. Domingo said PAGCOR is currently 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.

Dr. Domingo noted that the exponential rise of online gaming in the Philippines is driven by the accessibility of technology and Filipinos’ heavy reliance on mobile devices.

“Also, a lot of people are not aware of the financial implications when they engage in gambling. They only realize the impact of what they did when it’s already too late. They could have done better by being educated at the onset,” he said.

“Player education should center on responsible play and awareness of gambling’s financial and psychological risks, which we are currently doing,” he said.

“Operator training, on the other hand, should involve mandatory certification to ensure that frontline staff can identify and respond to problem gamblers,” he said.

Public outreach, meanwhile, requires unified campaigns, clear messaging, and active collaboration with NGOs, financial regulators, and law enforcement agencies which PAGCOR is also presently doing, he said.