COA to Pagcor: Shut down illegal internet gambling operations
The Commission on Audit urged Pagcor to shut down unlicensed online gambling operations to protect the Philippine gaming industry and revenue.Summary
The Commission on Audit (COA) has recommended that the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor) collaborate with other agencies to shut down illegal international casino, online bingo, and internet gambling applications operating without licenses. A 2024 audit revealed numerous such applications are readily accessible on platforms like Google Play and the Apple App Store, undermining the integrity of the Philippine gaming industry and diverting revenue from Pagcor and the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR). Auditors found that top-grossing casino apps are not licensed by Pagcor, contributing to fraud and accessibility for minors and government personnel. The COA suggests Pagcor work with the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC), and the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) to block illegal domains and enforce payment restrictions. Pagcor management stated they are developing a regulatory framework to address payment gateway accreditation and dealings with unlicensed operators.
(Source：Malaya Business Insight)