The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) is implementing a series of stringent reform measures, including mandatory decoupling of e-wallets from gaming platforms, banning outdoor advertising, and strengthening real-name systems. PAGCOR Chairman Tengke openly states that these policies have led to a short-term decline in total industry revenue, but emphasizes that these are necessary measures to ensure the long-term healthy development of the industry.
Regulatory New Policies and Industry Impact
The most impactful reform is the mandatory decoupling of electronic gaming platforms from e-wallets, a measure implemented in August-September that directly caused fluctuations in total electronic gaming revenue. Tengke, speaking at an industry event in Manila, stated that this "short pain" can cut off the risk chain of young people and vulnerable groups being "quickly sucked in" by the platforms. Frankly, such drastic reforms indeed require considerable courage, but in the long term, they are beneficial for the regulated development of the industry—detailed thematic analysis reports on gambling regulatory policies are available on the PASA official website for reference.
The Severe Threat of Illegal Platforms
Tengke directly points out that illegal platforms are the biggest cancer in the industry, listing six major harms including tax evasion, lack of player protection, data theft, and absconding with funds. He warns that these platforms not only cause losses to players but also stigmatize the entire industry as criminal. If the expansion of illegal platforms is not immediately curbed, the future of the legal gambling industry in the Philippines could be completely undermined.
Future Regulatory Directions and Industry Outlook
Although overall revenue declined in the third quarter, electronic gaming and electronic bingo still grew by 17.4% year-on-year, showing that the industry is still expanding. Tengke reveals that future measures may include stricter financial monitoring, more advertising restrictions, and accelerated crackdowns on illegal platforms. The chairman of the Independent Licensed Gaming and Amusement Association, Tabola, expresses full support for the reforms, believing that these measures will make legal platforms more stable and the player environment safer.
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This article is from "PASA-Global iGaming Leader" gambling industry news channel:https://t.me/pasa_news
Original in-depth gambling channel:https://t.me/gamblingdeep
Free data reports: @pasa_research
PASA Matrix: @pasa002_bot
PASA official website: https://www.pasa.news
