ONLINE POKER COULD BECOME ILLEGAL IN PHILIPPINES

It has been reported by the media in the Philippines media that a legislation sounding similar to the America's Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) was proposed by Narciso Santiago of the minority Alliance for Rural Concerns. Santiago’s proposal was that internet gambling should be made illegal, all besides the licensed horse race betting and lawful betting on the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office lotto and on the fantasy sports league games. This would mean that poker players in Philippines would no longer be able to play poker online

This legislation proposal would affect the gambling operations as it will be illegal to make use of the Internet or interactive computer devices to place, retrieve or make bets in other ways. Santiago underlined that there is no current regulation for the online gambling, nowadays.

This news came as a shock, as the Philippine nation has always been perceived as a gambling one, as when the government-owned as well as controlled corporation called the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR), was established in 1977. This was done with the aim of regulating chance-games inside the country and to create the necessary revenues for the social government programs. PAGCOR holds 13 Casinos, 8 VIP clubs and 3 slot machine arcades in operation, these standing in main cities across the country, together with 180 bingo parlours. In total the company offers employment to more than 11,000 employees.

On the same line, the Philippines have been perceived as smart when in 1995 they established the separated customs area: the Cagayan Export Zone (CEZ), to promote and draw legitimate as well as productive foreign and local investments. According to the law regulations, the CEZA can "operate on its own, either directly or through a subsidiary entity, or license to others, tourism-related activities, including games, amusements, recreational and sports facilities such as horse racing, dog racing, gambling casinos, golf courses and others, under priorities and standards set by the CEZA." Due to this, when their car business decreased substantially in the late 90's, Port Irene (operating inside the CEZ boundaries) was permitted to operate and accommodate online gambling operations and license offshore companies. Therefore Port Irene has been competing with PAGCOR.

Santiago expressed his concern for the youth using the internet, stating, "As minors traverse the sites of the web, the possibility of kids being enticed to gamble is high because of the tempting prizes that are awarded, like vacation trips, computers, cars and even cash." On to that, he added that online gambling can be used for laundering of money in an aim to justify his proposed law.

The proposal suggests strong penalties, as fines amounting that of received. Those caught violating the proposed law would be getting a fine. This would be equivalent of the amount received as wager bets, or P200,000, or even imprisonment for up to four years, or both scenarios.

News Added: 24 March, 2009

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