Physical Address
304 North Cardinal St.
Dorchester Center, MA 02124
The Philippines is tightening casino access rules for public sector staff after a new agreement between Pagcor and the Department of Justice. The deal adds Department of Justice personnel to the list of people barred from entering casinos, giving regulators another layer of control in one of Asia most open local casino markets.
Good to Know
- Pagcor and the Department of Justice signed the agreement on Monday
- Department of Justice personnel will be added to the casino restricted list
- The current Pagcor restricted database has about 600,000 names
Philippines Widens Casino Restricted List With DOJ Deal
A new data sharing deal between Pagcor and the Department of Justice will widen enforcement around casino entry rules in the Philippines. Under the memorandum of agreement, personnel from the Department of Justice will now be included in the database of restricted persons, according to the Philippine News Agency.
For the local casino sector, the agreement matters because the Philippines remains one of the few markets in Asia where casinos are widely open to both locals and foreign visitors. Access is not unlimited, though. Existing rules already ban government officials and employees from gambling, and the new arrangement adds another route for checking compliance.
Pagcor chairman and chief executive Alejandro Tengco said Monday agreement was the first of its kind between the gaming regulator and a government agency. He also pointed to the gap between the current restricted list and the size of the public workforce. Pagcor list now contains only around 600,000 names, while government officials and employees across the country total about 4.5 million.
Get 125% / $2,500 on 1st deposit!
New players only. Exclusive Welcome Bonus of up to $2,500
Department of Justice staffing alone gives the deal real scale. The department has around 60,000 personnel across its main offices and attached agencies, so adding that group to the system could strengthen screening at casino properties and improve enforcement of existing gambling restrictions.
Justice Secretary Fredderick Vida framed the agreement as an integrity issue for the public sector. He said: “the presence of government officials and employees in gaming establishments, in violation of existing laws and regulations, undermines the ethical standards we are sworn to uphold.”
He also said: “This data-sharing initiative is both timely and necessary. By enabling a more efficient and accurate identification system, we strengthen enforcement mechanisms and ensure that policies are not only written but meaningfully implemented.”
The post Philippines Adds DOJ Personnel to Casino Restricted Database appeared first on iGaming.org.