Another Philippines-based group is tackling illegal gambling in the country. Alongside PAGCOR’s continued battle against the illicit methods of gambling, the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) is now taking a look into illegal online gambling.
The Philippines has been besieged by online casinos that aren’t licensed to operate in the country. These include sites like PHLove, which claims it is licensed, but according to PAGCOR, it isn’t. The country has also recently expelled POGOs, or Philippines Offshore Gambling Operators, curbing the rise of illegal gambling making cash in the country. On top of this, in June, it also banned 7000 websites, and is assumed to continue down that path in the future.
Now, the PAOCC is taking action, but from a different angle. While PAGCOR’s mission is ultimately to ensure that any and all revenue made by gambling comes to the country’s way, PAOCC is looking at it from abusive practices, and harassment usually found in money laundering practices.
PAOCC head comments on investigation
Speaking at a forum in Quezon City on Sunday, July 13, PAOCC Executive Director Gilbert Cruz said:
“Our task is to study; we were doing research on those online gambling sites. What is the connection to that? What is the intention behind building that? Where is that connected?”
He continues:
“Then, if that was done like online lending with harassment, that should be removed.”
Via ABS CBN and machine translated.
This coincides with the CICC, the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center, forcing influencers and content creators to halt promotion of illegal gambling. On July 11, the government body banned promotions for these unlicensed websites. From today, anyone caught promoting it in the country will be met with a notice to explain their actions.
PAGCOR has also put out a new initiative this week, as it has banned any and all billboards from showing gambling advertisements.
