Inside Asian Gaming

IAG JUL 2019年7月 亞博匯 14 亞博匯早報 BREAKFAST BRIEFS QUEZON CITY LEGAL BATTLE COULD THREATEN PAGCOR’S AUTHORITY 圍繞菲律賓奎松市博 彩法令的法律戰或將 威脅PAGCOR的權威 THE Vice-Mayor of Quezon City, Maria Josefina “Joy” Belmonte, has warned that Philippines gaming regulator PAGCOR could lose its authority over local government should it lose a looming Supreme Court challenge to a city ordinance aimed at regulating gambling activities. City Ordinance 2773-201, which has now been officially approved by the Quezon City Council, includes a range of measures aimed at limiting access to gambling by locals, most notably via a Php1,500 (US$29) casino entry fee. Locals will also have to pay Php500 to play at an eGames outlet or Php100 at an eBingo hall, with a Gambling Regulatory Advisory Council to be established to approve permits, monitor operations and enforce regulations. However, PAGCOR chair Andrea Domingo has threatened to block implementation of the ordinance via a temporary restraining order, claiming a Presidential Decree gives the gaming regulator ultimate authority nationwide. In an interview with BusinessWorld , Belmonte warned that any such action could have far greater implications for PAGCOR. “If the Supreme Court rules in favor of the local government, then that is a victory for all local governments because that means all local governments can now regulate in their respective jurisdictions,” Belmonte said. 菲律賓 奎松市副市長Maria Josefina“Joy”Belmonte警告稱，若 菲律賓博彩監管機構PAGCOR在最高法院對其通過監管博彩活動 的一項城市法令敗訴的話，將可能失去在當地政府的權威。 《城市法令》(City Ordinance) 2773-201, 目前已得到奎松 市議會的正式通過，其中包括一系列針對在限制當地人賭博的措 施，其中最引人注目的是對當地人收取1500菲律賓披索 (約29美 元) 的娛樂場入場費。 當地居民還必須支付500比索才能進入電子遊戲廳 (eGame) 或支付100披索進入電子賓果遊戲廳 (eBingo)。此外，當地還成 立了一個博彩監管諮詢委員會 (Gaming Regulatory Advisory Council)，負責審批許可證、監督營運和執行監管規定。 然而，PAGCOR主席Andrea Domingo揚言要通過臨時限制 令阻止實施該法令，聲稱《總統法令》(Presidential Decree) 賦予 博彩監管機構在全國範圍內擁有最終權利。 在上週末接受《BusinessWorld》雜誌採訪時，Belmonte警告 稱，任何此類活動都可能對PAGCOR產生重大的影響。 Belmonte說：「如果最高法院的結果支持當地政府，那將是 所有地方政府的勝利，因為這意味著所有地方政府現在可以各自 調整市內的博彩監管條例。」