PAGCOR, ASC to sign MOA for regulation of online gambling ads
PAGCOR chairman and CEO Alejandro Tengco said in an interview on Balitanghali on Tuesday that the regulation will apply to outdoor advertisements such as billboards and advertisements on prime time TV.
'Isa kasing, mapapansin niyo siguro, parang mga kabute na kumakalat na lang itong mga billboard na ito… Sa pamamagitan ng Ads Standards Council ay naniniwala po ang PAGCOR na mareregulahan natin itong mga billboard,' he said.
(One thing you may have noticed is that these billboards keep popping up like mushrooms… With the help of the Ads Standards Council, PAGCOR believes we can regulate these billboards.)
Tengco said that gambling platforms may be given enough time to take down their billboards and follow new size regulations.
On proposals to restrict or enforce ban
'Gusto ko ipaalam sa lahat na marami na po nitong nakaraang buwan ng pag-aaral na ginawa ang PAGCOR at magkakaroon po ng anunsiyo kami sa susunod na linggo tungkol sa mga hakbang na aming pinag-aaralan at ipatutupad sa mga susunod na araw,' Tengco said.
(I want to inform everyone that PAGCOR has done a number of studies these past few months. We will have an announcement next week about the steps we are studying and will implement over the next few days.)
Tengco made the statement amid proposals to restrict or enforce a total ban on online gambling.
Proposed regulations include restrictions and further policies on age verification protocols, advertising, and player protection, among others.
'Ang PAGCOR po ang hinihiling sana ay magkaroon ng mahigpitan na regulasyon… 'Yun 'yung nakikita kong isang paraan dahil sa paniniwalang mahirap pong i-ban totally ang online gaming sa kasalukuyan, dahil ang gamit lang po nito ay internet,' he said.
(PAGCOR asks that there would be stricter regulations… That is one way I see because I believe it is hard to totally ban online gaming at the moment, since it just uses the internet.)
According to Tengco, there are up to 70 legal online gambling platforms and hundreds of illegal online gambling platforms currently operating in the country. —KG, GMA Integrated News
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