Philippines bans online gaming firms

Peza director-general Charito Plaza said the investment promotion agency made its position clear, despite the Office of the President’s standing request to legalize and authorize the operations of online gaming/betting companies inside Peza-accredited facilities.

“We refused and we won’t allow it. We’ve spoken to the BPOs and the IBPAP [IT and Business Process Association of the Philippines]....There were loose talks there are gaming firms disguising as BPOs to operate inside a BPO building, when the truth is that these gaming entities are locators of Apeco [Aurora Pacific Economic Zone and Freeport Authority] and Ceza [Cagayan Economic Zone Authority] and not by Peza,” Plaza said over the weekend.

Plaza said several online gaming companies sought membership from IBPAP, but the group refused to have them as members.

She said while gambling was allowed inside the Aurora Pacific Economic Zone and Freeport and Cagayan Special Economic Zone and Freeport, the Peza board decided not to allow it inside Peza-accredited facilities.

“The Peza board, in our meeting two weeks ago, came up with a resolution that any IT park or BPO building hosting gambling operations will be stripped of the benefits they get from and will face dis-accreditation by Peza,” she claimed.

Plaza said the Office of the Solicitor General allowed gaming companies from Apeco and Ceza to operate in Metro Manila, pending the construction of the digital/technical infrastructure that would support their operations in Cagayan and Aurora.

Plaza said gaming companies from Apeco and Ceza should also register with the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. if they wanted to operate in Manila.