Metro Manila, Philippines – The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) has fined an online gaming company ₱1 million over an unauthorized promotional campaign involving content creator Ivana Alawi, its chairman said during House deliberations on PAGCOR’s proposed 2027 budget on Monday, August 24.
The fine stemmed from a viral mobile phone giveaway campaign featuring Alawi, which Chairman Alejandro Tengco said was conducted without PAGCOR’s approval.
The company was ordered to stop the promotion and Tengco warned that repeat violations could result in heavier fines, suspension and eventually the cancellation of an operator’s license.
Meanwhile, Tengco said 15 content creators have been charged over their promotions of illegal online gambling platforms.
PAGCOR has coordinated with the Department of Information and Communications Technology, National Telecommunications Commission and Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center to identify and warn endorsers promoting illegal operators.
According to Tengco, some content creators have voluntarily stopped promoting illegal gambling platforms, while others have shifted to endorsing legal operators.
Tengco pointed out that about half of current online gaming operators remain illegal and are therefore outside PAGCOR’s jurisdiction.
Many illegal operators are based overseas and use Filipino content creators to promote their platforms, Tengco added.
Meanwhile, Tengco said PAGCOR has expanded its responsible gaming programs, including a 24/7 hotline for people experiencing gambling addiction and other related problems.
Around 100 people have sought assistance through the hotline, with some referred to rehabilitation centers, he said.
Over the past year, PAGCOR has also approved about 15,000 self-exclusion requests, allowing individuals to bar themselves from gambling at land-based casinos and licensed online platforms.
According to Tengco, family members may also request that a person be barred from gambling through PAGCOR’s family exclusion program.
