The Philippines gaming regulator recently canceled the provisional accreditation of a Philippine offshore gaming hub in the Clark Freeport Zone and also revoked the iGaming license of the main service provider, CGC Technologies.
In a statement cited by Inside Asian Gaming, Alejandro Tengco, chairman and CEO of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (PAGCOR) said the Sun Valley Clark hub is “no longer suitable to maintain its provisional accreditation, nor be issued a full accreditation as an offshore gaming hub due to its failure to ensure a lawful and orderly conduct of offshore gaming by its occupants in its registered sites.”
PAGCOR previously canceled the accreditation of CGC Technologies after a investigation in early May for alleged cryptocurrency scams, illegal detention and human trafficking activities. The search found that only two of the six buildings occupied by CGC were accredited by PAGCOR.
Oriental Game, the licensed POGO under which CGC operated, was also fined for “failure to ensure the legitimate conduct of CGC’s business,” IAG reported.
In addition to iGaming operations, POGO hubs also typically include worker residences, dining establishments, grocery stores, health and wellness facilities and recreational facilities.
Tengco said the action “serves as a warning to all our offshore gaming licensees and accredited service providers that PAGCOR is serious in its mission to uphold responsible and regulated gaming in the country.
“While we see the potential of offshore gaming in terms of our revenue-generation efforts, we do not condone their involvement in any criminal activity that violates the rights—not only of Filipinos but of other nationalities as well.
“PAGCOR would like to remind foreign nationals who are being offered attractive employment opportunities in the Philippines to check the credibility of the companies that they are applying in. By going the extra mile, they can protect themselves from possible scams and human trafficking activities.”
