Duterte wants 'all online gaming' closed

President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday said he wants all forms of online gaming closed as the country does not benefit from online gambling.

"I am ordering the closure of all online gaming. Lahat. Walang silbi ito," he said in a speech in Malacañang during the ceremonial signing of the 2017 budget.

The Philippines does not benefit from online gaming outlets, he said.

In a chance interview with reporters, Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II clarified that Duterte was referring to online gambling firms.

He said he was already discussing Duterte's marching orders with Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea and Special Assistant to the President Bong Go.

"I have talked with ES Medialdea and SAP Bong. They are now drafting the scope of my authority to investigate on online gambling," Aguirre said said.

In his speech, Duterte said his new directive was related to the recent issue involving gambling tycoon Jack Lam, who owns the Fontana Leisure Parks and Casino in Clark, Pampanga where 1,316 undocumented Chinese workers were apprehended by Bureau of Immigration operatives on November 24.

"I ordered the arrest of Jack Lam. Ang lolo ko Lam ah. Iyan ang problema ko. Baka pinsan ito ng buang," he added.

"Alam mo, sinarahan ko because ganito ang ginagawa nila. I'll have a white paper written by somebody but I'll make it public. Iyong online sa Pilipinas pero iyong betting outside. Wala tayong mechanism," Duterte added. 

PhilWeb license

Duterte had previously vowed to stop the proliferation of online gambling during his administration's first Cabinet meeting on June 30. Duterte singled out Roberto Ongpin, former chairman of listed gaming technology firm PhilWeb Corp., as among the oligarchs who must be weeded out in the government. 

Ongpin has since sold controlling stake in the company.

Following the President's directive, the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (PAGCOR) decided not to renew the licensing deal with PhilWeb despite last-minute talks.

To offset an estimated P10 billion yearly revenue losses, PAGCOR started issuing offshore gaming licenses to Philippine- and offshore-based operators in any foreign country, but Philippine-based players are not allowed to gamble. —VS/JST, GMA News