PAGCOR, Ad Standards Council ink deal to promote responsible gambling ads

MANILA — Gambling-related advertisements will now be added to categories the Ad Standards Council (ASC) must screen prior to public release, after the organization signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) on Wednesday.

The agreement is one of PAGCOR’s ways to promote responsible advertising amid calls for a total ban on online gambling.

The ASC will be tasked with reviewing and approving all branded gambling ads across all media platforms such as television, radio, and outdoor advertising to “curb misleading content and protect vulnerable groups from potential harm.”

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According to PAGCOR Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Alejandro Tengco, the MOU is a product of nine months of consultations and not a knee-jerk reaction to criticisms against online gambling.

“Simple lamang po ang pinaka-layunin natin dito: ang tiyakin na ang mga patalastas ukol sa sugal ay hindi nanlilinlang at hindi sumasamantala sa kahinaan ng iba,” Tengco said.

ASC Chairperson Golda Roldan said, for her part: "We stand with PAGCOR in our shared goal of protecting the Filipino people, especially in sectors like gambling where communication requires greater sensitivity and care."

The signing took place in PAGCOR’s office in Pasay City.

Several lawmakers have voiced out recently against online gambling, with many of them advocating to ban it than just regulate.