MANILA, Philippines: — The government yesterday created an inter-agency council to curb illegal online gambling, the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor) said.
Pagcor signed an agreement with the Department of Justice (DOJ), National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), Philippine National Police and Bureau of Immigration to boost the administration’s campaign against illegal gambling.
“The creation of the inter-agency council was in response to President Duterte’s executive order to strengthen the fight against illegal gambling,” Pagcor chairman Andrea Domingo said following the signing of the agreement.
Domingo said the agreement aims to clarify the jurisdiction and powers of concerned agencies in regulating and issuing permits for online gambling.
Duterte’s Executive Order No. 13 issued in 2017 strengthened the authority of Pagcor to regulate all forms of gambling, except those regulated by other regulatory bodies.
Also present during the signing were NBI Director Dante Gierran, Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente, DOJ Cybercrime Division chief Charito Zamora, Undersecretary Melchor Jesus Quitain of the Office of the President and National Capital Region Police Office chief Director Guillermo Eleazar.
“We have been working with these agencies before and this agreement will enhance our collective effort to eradicate illegal online gambling,” Domingo said.
Gierran said the NBI had arrested several Chinese involved in online gambling.
The Chinese are being held at the immigration detention facility at Camp Bagong Diwa pending deportation, according to Morente.
Eleazar said police have been conducting raids on establishments involved in illegal gambling in cooperation with other government agencies.
Domingo said the inter-agency council would be responsible for gathering and sharing intelligence information.
The council is also tasked to implement digital forensic examination, gaming license validation, visa certification and to file criminal and administrative charges against illegal online gambling operators.
Domingo urged the public to report to authorities illegal gambling activities, saying the government loses revenue from these operations.
https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2019/03/22/1903637/agreement-vs-illegal-online-gambling-signed