Rodrigo Duterte, the president of the Philippines, has signed an executive order that brings clarity to country’s online gambling market while establishing the definition of the issue, clarifying the extent of authority for the regulation and licensing of online gambling operations.
The Executive Order No. 13 was created as a measure to have the total shut down on illegal online gambling in the Philippines. It gives the power to PAGCOR (Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation) to grant iGaming licences and prohibit any platforms that operate without official permission.
“The State condemns the existence of illegal gambling activities 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,” states the order.
Under the new commands, the Philippines National Police (PNP) and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) will work together with the Department of Justice (DOJ), Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) in order to fight against unauthorised gaming activities.
The order notes that there are multiple gaming licensing jurisdictions within the country besides PAGCOR, including the Cagayan Economic Zone Authority (CEZA), Authority of the Freeport Area of Bataan (AFAB) and Aurora Pacific Economic Zone and Freeport Authority (APECO). They all will be able to grant gaming permissions under the new law.
