The Philippine Economic Zone Authority has decided it doesn’t want online gambling companies in its economic zones.
The authority rejected requests by online companies to locate in IT parks and business process outsourcing complexes in companies inside PEZA-accredited facilities in Manila, despite a request from the office of the country’s president.
PEZA 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.
“We refused and we won’t allow it,” said PEZA director-general Charito Plaza to local media.
Plaza 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 said.
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.
