Stronger collaboration eyed vs gambling addiction

Upgrade to High-Speed Internet for only ₱1499/month!

Enjoy up to 100 Mbps fiber broadband, perfect for browsing, streaming, and gaming.

Visit Suniway.ph to learn

May 20, 2025 | 12:00am

MANILA, Philippines — Gambling addiction should be mitigated through stronger collaboration among industry stakeholders, according to the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (PAGCOR).

“Gaming has inherent social risks, but with the right safeguards and collaboration among all sectors, we can ensure the safety and well-being of our players,” PAGCOR chairman Alejandro Tengco said yesterday at the second International Conference on Responsible Gambling and Addiction in Quezon City.

The state gaming regulator and operator, he said, has a responsible gaming program allowing self- or family-initiated player exclusion and regulation of gaming advertisements, as well as partnerships with rehabilitation centers.

Meanwhile, PAGCOR has warned against fraudulent gaming certifications requiring cash deposits from customers.

Lucky 7 Bingo Corp. is reportedly engaging in contract agreements with people under the guise of offering “guidance and support to potentially earn P50,000 through the Lucky 7 bet lottery platform.”

Bettors were required to make an upfront cash deposit of P3,000 as part of the bogus agreement.

Lucky 7 Bingo is currently operating with a legitimate electronic games venue license.

PAGCOR clarified that the license is a fake offshore gaming license, considering that all Philippine offshore gaming operators have been banned since 2024.

“While Lucky 7 Bingo Corp. is a legitimate licensee for e-games venue operations as of end-April, it does not hold any valid offshore gaming license,” PAGCOR said. — Louise Maureen Simeon