Facing the potential policy direction of the Philippine government to completely ban online gambling, the local listed technology company DFNN recently announced the appointment of Charles R. McIntyre, an American senior lottery management expert, as an independent director consultant to strengthen the company's compliance governance and illegal gambling prevention capabilities. This appointment was approved by a special board of directors on August 22, at a time when there is a domestic call in the Philippines to strictly control the social risks of gambling.
McIntyre has more than 20 years of experience in lottery regulation, served as the Assistant Executive Director and General Legal Counsel of the Massachusetts Lottery Commission from 2003 to 2010, managing a lottery system with a scale of $4.7 billion, and was inducted into the PGRI Lottery Hall of Fame, an authoritative honor in the international gaming legal community, in 2017.
DFNN stated that this move is aimed at coping with the increasingly strict regulatory environment, demonstrating the company's commitment to responsible gambling, and leveraging its international experience to enhance compliance standards.
Meanwhile, the Philippine gambling regulatory authority PAGCOR continues to strengthen industry rectification. At the recent "Patas na Patalastas" summit held by the Advertising Standards Council (ASC) in Makati City, PAGCOR Chairman and CEO Alejandro H. Tengco was recognized for promoting gambling advertising standards. In his speech, he emphasized that all gambling advertisements—including those of offshore gambling operators (POGO)—must adhere to higher ethical and social responsibility standards.
In July this year, PAGCOR and ASC signed a memorandum of understanding, categorizing gambling advertisements as "must review", requiring all television, radio, online, and outdoor advertisements to be pre-approved by ASC before publication. Gambling advertisements are now under strict regulation along with alcohol, pharmaceuticals, and other sensitive categories. Additionally, PAGCOR completely removed outdoor gambling advertisements last month, further demonstrating its determination to protect the public, especially vulnerable groups.
Analysts believe that DFNN's personnel appointment and PAGCOR's strict control of advertising together reflect that the Philippine gambling industry is entering a new stage of development guided by compliance. In the context of government and social high attention to the negative impacts of gambling, strengthening regulation and enhancing transparency have become key prerequisites for corporate survival and operation.
