PAGCOR develops AI tool to detect illegal online gambling sites

The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) is developing an artificial intelligence (AI) tool to detect illegal online gambling platforms in real-time, with the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC), National Telecommunications Commission (NTC), and Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) set to partner with PAGCOR to block these sites.

Senator Rodante Marcoleta urged government agencies to partner with legal online gambling operators to combat the rise of illegal e-gambling sites.

CICC Deputy Executive Director Aboy Paraiso stated that the government's jurisdiction only covers platforms operating within the country, not offshore entities, and cited challenges in tracking users who access illegal sites through VPNs.

Senator Risa Hontiveros raised concerns about the continued use of e-wallets like GCash and PayMaya for online gambling transactions.

GCash Legal Head Atty. Gilbert Escoto stated they cannot discriminate against legitimate gambling platforms and cannot see users' betting amounts, while PayMaya Head of Corporate Affairs Toff Rada acknowledged the concerns.

Despite the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) ordering GCash and Maya to remove in-app gambling links, users can still cash in and cash out through these platforms via external sites or the use of mule accounts.

BSP Deputy Governor Mamerto Tangonan admitted the order only applied to removing clickable links, as licensed gambling operators are treated as legitimate merchants.

Senator Migz Zubiri expressed doubt regarding PAGCOR's ability to regulate online gambling, citing past issues with POGOs and e-sabong, while PAGCOR Assistant Vice President Atty. Jessa Fernandez clarified the agency advocates for strict regulation, not a total ban.

PAGCOR's revenues from online gambling operations dropped by nearly 50% after the first two weeks of the order to delink e-wallets and banks from online gambling operations.