Pagcor orders removal of e-gambling billboard ads, to limit TV promos

TAMING GAMING Giant billboard ads like this one on a stretch of Edsa in Quezon City must be taken down by Aug. 15, according to an order from the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp., in its first major move in response to growing concerns over the rise of online gambling. Photo taken on July 8. —GRIG C. MONTEGRANDE

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor) has ordered the operators of online gaming platforms to immediately take down their billboards and other gambling-related out-of-home (OOH) advertisements.

It was Pagcor’s first major step that appeared to heed the concerns raised recently by Church leaders and some lawmakers about e-gambling as a cause of addiction and financial ruin, especially among the poor, as it becomes more accessible and aggressively promoted.

In a memorandum, the gaming regulator on Thursday ordered “all licensees, suppliers and electronic gaming administrators and providers” to immediately remove their outdoor ads by Aug. 15.

New guidelines coming

The memo was signed by Jeremy Luglug, assistant vice president of the electronic gaming licensing department of Pagcor, and Ma. Vina Claudette Oca, assistant vice president of the gaming licensing and development department.

A representative from Pagcor said the regulator is preparing to implement a set of guidelines for posting OOH advertisements.

The rules will be enforced with the help of the Ad Standards Council (ASC), which screens ad content across media platforms.

Limits on TV ads, too

Pagcor and the ASC — which have been in talks for months now — will sign a memorandum of understanding on July 16 to formalize the new guidelines. The ASC will be in charge of policing the gambling-related ads.

The Pagcor representative said the guidelines would include a ban on OOH ads near churches, schools and hospitals.

Gambling-related TV ads will also not be allowed during prime time.

Pagcor’s memo came a day after the Fintech Alliance Philippines, the country’s largest organization of digital payment or e-wallet operators, announced that its members would tighten internal controls to curb unbridled access to online gambling.

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas earlier said it would also come up with new guidelines on the matter.