The head of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp (Pagcor), the nation’s casino regulator-cum-operator, has called for “stronger collaboration” among the country’s gaming industry stakeholders to mitigate risks associated with problem gambling and addiction.
“As regulators, policymakers, industry operators, healthcare professionals, and academicians, we must not only share knowledge but also act as partners in understanding, preventing, and reducing the threats posed by problem gambling,” said Pagcor’s chairman and chief executive, Alejandro Tengco (pictured), as cited in a press release.
Mr Tengco emphasised the need for a “whole-of-society approach to curb the ill effects of problem gambling”. He was speaking at the “2nd International Conference on Responsible Gambling and Addiction”, which took place in Quezon City.
The official reiterated the agency’s commitment to mitigating gambling-related harm via key policies, such as the automatic exclusion of minors, students, and active government employees from gaming venues.
Mr Tengco also said that Pagcor has its own responsible gaming programme, which allows self- or family-initiated player exclusion; regulation of gaming advertisements; and partnerships with rehabilitation centres for affected individuals and families.
“Gaming has inherent social risks, but with the right safeguards and collaboration among all sectors, we can ensure the safety and well-being of our players,” stated Mr Tengco.
