Pagcor orders closure of Fontana casino over "illegal or unlicensed online gaming operations"

Cops from the Angeles Police Office and the regional Criminal Investigation and Detection Group accompanied PAGCOR personnel to Fontana at around 5 p.m.

They posted a sign in front of the casino saying the facility is ordered closed immediately "pending investigation by the DOJ [Department of Justice] of illegal or unlicensed online gaming operations and employment of aliens without proper permits ... in violation of the Philippine anti-illegal gambling, labor and immigration laws."

The order was made upon the instructions of President Rodrigo Duterte.

The CIDG however said only the casino was included in the order, and not the other establishments inside Fontana.

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Also covered by the closure order is Fontana's affiliated establishment in Fort Ilocandia, Laoag City

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The order was signed by Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea.

Around 500 workers at Fontana were affected by the closure order.

The workers expressed concern about their security of tenure as well as their salaries and benefits.

On Saturday Duterte ordered the arrest of gaming tycoon Jack Lam for alleged illegal online gambling operation in Fontana.
Lam's camp declined to comment on the arrest.

More than 1,000 Chinese nationals were rounded up in Fontana by Bureau of Immigration operatives on November 24 for alleged illegal online gambling.

Lam reportedly tried to bribe Justice Sec. Vitaliano Aguirre II and PAGCOR chairperson Andrea Domingo to have the arrested Chinese nationals released. —KG, GMA News