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Friday, March 29, 2024

Duterte targets online gambling

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PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte prohibited the assignment, sharing, lease, transfer or selling of online gambling licenses after he ordered authorities to intensify the government’s fight against illegal gambling.

Under an executive order signed Feb. 2, online gambling operators who wish to operate outside the jurisdiction of the government authority must apply for a separate license.

“The license to operate online gambling granted to qualified operators shall not be assigned, shared, leased, transferred, sold or encumbered to any other party. Any gambling operator desiring to operate outside the jurisdiction of the government authority which issued its existing license shall apply for a separate license with the appropriate authority,” the EO read.

“All gambling activities, and activities and services directly or indirectly related to or in support of such gambling activities, conducted beyond the territorial jurisdiction of the government authority which issued the license therefore, shall be dealt with as illegal gambling.”

The same EO said that no licensed online gambling operator shall provide direct or indirect betting outside of the territorial jurisdiction where it is physically located.

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Nevertheless, participation of persons who are betting outside of the Philippine territory can still continue.

President Rodrigo Duterte

The President’s order came as lawmakers investigated allegations that Chinese tycoon Jack Lam, who tried to bribe Philippine officials to allow him to operate an illegal online casino.

Duterte instructed the PNP, the NBI, and law enforcement agencies to “coordinate and promptly act on requests of gambling regulatory authorities to investigate and put a stop to illegal activities in their respective jurisdictions.”

“The state condemns the existence of illegal gambling as a widespread social menace and source of corruption, as it has become an influential factor in an individual’s disregard for the value of dignified work, perseverance and thrift,” the President said.

The order also directs the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp., Cagayan Economic Zone Authority, Authority of the Freeport Area of Bataan, Aurora Pacific Economic Zone and Freeport Authority and other regulatory entities to submit a consolidated report on the progress of the fight against illegal gambling in their jurisdictions within six months and every six months thereafter from the effective date of the EO.

The Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office on Friday said the 56 players of Small Town Lottery (STL) are expected to give more than half a million people jobs this year.

This is the reason the PCSO is doing its best to implement the government’s campaign against illegal gambling, the agency said in a press release.

PCSO General Manager Alexander Balutan said that aside from the projected revenue from STL, legal employment of more than half a million people is another benefit of the operation of 56 accredited agent corporations that were given permits to operate STL nationwide.

He said that all illegal gambling operations are called on to go legal. This includes kubradors and kabos who work in the illegal numbers game. If they work under the STL, Balutan said, they would be given a legal source of income. 

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