Asia
Newly-Built PAGCOR-Funded Evacuation Facilities in Cagayan Province Inaugurated
Three municipalities in the province of Cagayan became the latest beneficiaries of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation’s (PAGCOR) Multi-Purpose Evacuation Center (MPEC) project after the state-run gaming agency inaugurated the newly-constructed facilities on March 10 and 11, 2023.
The PAGCOR-funded basketball-court type multi-purpose facilities worth P12.7 million each were formally unveiled in the towns of Amulong, Solana and Penablanca.
In the municipality of Solana, the evacuation facility built in the flood-prone barangay Malalam-Malacabibi was already used as a temporary shelter last October after the gates of Magat Dam were opened to release water following the onslaught of Tropical Storm Paeng.
According to Solana Municipal Mayor Jennalyn Carag, despite being partially completed, the PAGCOR-funded evacuation facility already provided safe refuge to 80 families from low-lying communities in their town.
“When Tropical Storm Paeng hit us, the water level in Magat Dam rose. There are barangays in our town that have been isolated, such as barangay Dasun, Bauan and Malalam-Malacabibi. Even when this evacuation center was just being built, it has already given us a lot of help,” said Carag.
In the town of Penablanca, PAGCOR’s evacuation facility was built in the remote barangay of Minanga, which is almost two hours away from the town center and has no access to telecommunication. The community’s mountainous location and partly unpaved roads make it challenging for the local government to deliver swift aid to locals whenever they are affected by natural disasters.
“In recent years, we have been tested by various calamities like that only widespread flooding here in the province of Cagayan in 2020,” Penablanca Mayor Washington Taguinod said. “This was followed by another widespread flooding in 2021 and, in 2022, we felt the strength of the earthquake that hit the Ilocos region. The establishment of this PAGCOR evacuation center in Minanga barangay became our priority because of its distance from the population. This is a non-telco area, which means it is difficult for residents to seek immediate help when a disaster occurs.”
With the completion of the PAGCOR-funded evacuation center in the far-flung barangay Minanga, Taguinod said that the locals, including the indigenous peoples living at the foot of Sierra Madre, will be assured of a safe shelter as well as a venue where the local government can download relief goods and other basic government services in times of disasters.
Meanwhile, Amulong Municipal Mayor Elpidio Rendon also expressed his gratitude to PAGCOR for giving the vulnerable sectors of their community a secure evacuation shelter during calamities.
“In Amulong, we have identified typhoons, landslides, drought and flood as major hazards. The flood alone affects 17 of the 47 barangays. This situation pushes us to raise the adaptive capabilities of our communities that are exposed to flooding. This evacuation center will be of great help to the vulnerable members of our community, such as the elderly, children and pregnant women, especially during the onslaught of natural disasters,” said Rendon.
PAGCOR’s Vice-President for Corporate Social Responsibility Group, Ramon Stephen Villaflor, who graced the inauguration of the evacuation facilities in Cagayan, explained that instead of constructing a two-story building, the state-run gaming firm provided funding for four basketball-court type multi-purpose facilities in towns that are most vulnerable to flooding.
Besides Amulong, Solana and Penablanca, the town of Iguig also received a basketball-court type evacuation facility. Final inspection of the project in Iguig was already conducted.
Meanwhile, apart from the province of Cagayan, PAGCOR also recently inaugurated two-story multi-purpose evacuation centers worth P50 million each in the towns of Floridablanca and Candaba in Pampanga. Over 200,000 residents from said municipalities stand to benefit from the modern and spacious buildings. To date, a total of 24 MPECs have been completely built and inaugurated nationwide while 53 are still undergoing construction.
Asia
Indonesia Prepares VPN Laws to Crack Down on Illegal Online Gambling

Indonesia is preparing to introduce new rules targeting the use of Virtual Private Networks (VPNs), to crack down on the broader access to illegal online gambling. The move signifies a stronger push by authorities to tighten internet oversight amid growing concerns over unregulated digital activity.
While officials have not really explicitly mentioned gambling platforms, the intention seems to be clear. The aim of the move is to restrict tools that allow Indonesians to bypass government firewalls and access banned content. As the country battles a surge in illegal online gambling, VPNs have become a major target in the regulatory issue.
Indonesia currently ranks as the third-highest user of VPN services worldwide, behind only the UAE and India. A 2024 report by Windscribe, a global VPN provider, found that roughly 41% of Indonesian internet users use VPNs. This tool is largely used to bypass state-enacted censorship and access geo-blocked websites.
Online gambling, is strictly banned under Indonesian law, but is still thriving via VPN-enabled access to international platforms. These tools allow users to hide their digital footprints, and makes it challenging for authorities to enforce law.
“VPNs are being misused to reach sites and apps that are clearly illegal. We are developing a framework to ensure their usage aligns with the law,” said Semuel Abrijani Pangerapan, Director General of Informatics Applications at the Ministry of Communication and Informatics, in a recent statement.
The upcoming regulations, which are currently under ministerial review, aim to restrict VPN use by requiring providers to register with the government. Unregistered VPN services could be blocked outright. Officials are also considering legal consequences for users found accessing restricted services via unlicensed VPNs.
As for now, no timeline has been officially announced. But local media has reported that draft rules may be finalized by the end of the year.
The current online gambling environment in Indonesia is vast, and mostly hidden. Users often access offshore platforms hosted in regions with lenient enforcement. These platforms promise anonymity, instant payouts, and enticing rewards, thus driving a cycle of addiction and financial ruin for many.
The post Indonesia Prepares VPN Laws to Crack Down on Illegal Online Gambling appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Asia
Indian Gaming Industry Expresses Concern About Proposed Online Gaming Bill

The real money gaming (RMG) industry has been thrown into unprecedented turmoil after the Union Cabinet approved The Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, 2025. The proposed legislation seeks to outlaw all forms of pay-to-play online games, covering both games of skill and games of chance. If passed in Parliament, this would effectively ban the operations of legitimate RMG platforms across the country.
Industry stakeholders say the move was taken abruptly and without dialogue. “There was absolutely no consultation with the companies that have built this sector,” one executive said, adding that the decision violates multiple constitutional safeguards and will almost certainly face a legal challenge.
The industry’s pushback comes at a delicate moment. Only last week, on August 12, the Supreme Court bench of Justices J.B. Pardiwala and R. Mahadevan reserved its judgment on petitions concerning the classification of online games of skill and chance. The Court’s ruling was expected to provide clarity on a sector valued at over $3 billion. Instead, the Cabinet’s surprise approval of the bill has left companies reeling.
Industry voices argue that the move disregards the legitimate contributions of RMG platforms to India’s economy. By their estimates, the sector contributes nearly ₹20,000 crore annually to the exchequer through taxes and compliance payments, while directly and indirectly employing more than two lakh people. A blanket ban, they argue, would wipe out this entire ecosystem overnight.
The strongest criticism has come from the government’s failure to control illegal offshore betting firms. Companies like Parimatch, 1xBet and Dafabet continue to operate in India, despite repeated reports of their involvement in money laundering, hawala transactions and illegal gambling.
“Instead of cracking down on these notorious offshore firms, the government is choosing to penalize Indian companies that follow rules, pay taxes, and create jobs. This flawed approach not only risks shutting down a legitimate industry but also allows the black market to thrive unchecked,” said an industry representative.
Industry insiders caution that if the bill becomes law, Indian users may simply shift to unregulated foreign platforms, further draining revenue away from the country and undermining consumer protections.
The government, however, has defended its proposal by highlighting the social costs of online money gaming. The draft note accompanying the bill points to the “immersive and addictive nature” of pay-to-play platforms, warning that monetary incentives have triggered rising cases of anxiety, depression and behavioural problems among young users.
Citing clinical studies, the note claims prolonged gaming has worsened mental health issues, particularly among children and adolescents. The draft further warns of financial risks, with many players suffering losses that have, in some cases, led to suicides.
“These platforms employ predatory tactics—loot boxes, microtransactions, and reward systems—that exploit psychological triggers to encourage overspending. Such practices create cycles of debt and vulnerability,” the note says.
Despite acknowledging concerns about addiction and financial harm, industry groups insist that prohibition is the wrong path. They argue that a balanced regulatory framework—similar to models adopted in advanced markets—would provide consumer safeguards without dismantling the sector.
“Banning regulated RMG firms while letting offshore betting companies operate unchecked will only worsen the problem. The government should be working with us to build safeguards, not pushing us out,” said a gaming association leader.
The post Indian Gaming Industry Expresses Concern About Proposed Online Gaming Bill appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Asia
CGMC Awards Competency Certificates to 40 Trainees

The Commercial Gambling Management Commission (CGMC) has awarded competency certificates to 40 trainees, aiming to strengthen workforce standards and ensure compliance in the casino sector to support sustainable industry growth and economic stability.
The certificate of competency award ceremony for 40 candidates who completed the third training course on the “Foundation of Casino Special Employee Type A” was presided over by Chantha Chhoeng, Technical Advisor to the General Secretariat of the CGMC, in Phnom Penh on August 17.
According to a CGMC press release on August 18, the programme was designed to upgrade the skills of casino special employees, ensuring the workforce meets professional standards and contributes to the continued growth of Cambodia’s regulated casino industry.
The certificate is a vital document confirming trainees’ ability to perform casino functions in line with existing laws and regulations, thereby strengthening compliance and accountability across the commercial gambling sector, the statement added.
The CGMC underlined that casino operators must use the certificate when applying for or renewing special employee licenses. This ensures only qualified personnel enter the workforce, a measure deemed critical for sustainable sector development and investor confidence.
The post CGMC Awards Competency Certificates to 40 Trainees appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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