Inside Asian Gaming

IAG NOV 2021年11月 亞博匯 112 26-50 CHAIRMAN AND CEO PAGCOR 主席兼行政總裁 CLAIMS TO FAME 名成事跡 POWER SCORE 權能指數: 588 POSITION LAST YEAR 去年排名: ONES TO WATCH 潛龍五將 Has overhauled online gaming regulation in the Philippines Helped gaming income reach record highs pre-COVID • • • • 成功變革菲律賓的網上博彩規範 幫助賭收在新冠疫情前達至歷史高位 46 ANDREA DOMINGO WITH THE PHILIPPINES feeling the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic as much as any place in the Asia-Pacific region, it comes as no surprise that PAGCOR’s revenues have taken a dive over the past few years. Yet in her dual role as both regulator and gaming operator, PAGCOR chair and CEO Andrea Domingo has exhibited impressive flexibility this year in her efforts to support the local economy. With land-based casinos facing regular closures, Domingo has turned her focus to the online sector where, amid concerns over the departure of some Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) – companies licensed to offer online gaming to overseas players – she has deployed the new PIGO scheme. PIGO, short for Philippine Inland Gaming Operators, is domestic focused and represents a major change in policy direction when it comes to offering online gambling to locals. Domingo backed that move up by also licensing e-Sabong (online cockfighting), which had already collected US$20 million in fees from licensed operators in its first four months, and allowing three local sportsbooks to offer online services domestically. In the meantime, the PAGCOR chief is estimating the expansion by online gaming to contribute to taxes and fees from gaming operations of around US$761 million in 2021. 由於菲律賓與亞太地區 其他地方都同樣感受到新冠肺炎大流行的影響，因 此PAGCOR在過去數年出現的收入插水實在不令人意外。 但集合監管者及營運商兩個角色於一身的PAGCOR主席兼行政總裁 Andrea Domingo在今年就展現出令人眼界大開的柔軟度，努力去支持當 地經濟。 正當實體賭場經常要臨時停運時，Domingo就把她的注意力放到網上 版塊。雖然有人憂慮一些獲發牌向海外玩家提供網上博彩的菲律賓離岸博 彩營運商(Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators, POGOs)會離場，但 Domingo就推出了新的PIGO計劃，即菲律賓在地博彩營運商(Philippine Inland Gaming Operators)。它們的焦點都放在本地，並且突顯出在向本 地人提供網上博彩上政策方向的重大改變。 Domingo也為了支持這個決定而向網上鬥雞(e-Sabong)營運商發 牌，在首4個月已經向牌照持有人收取2000萬美元的費用，讓三間本地運 動博彩營運商向當地提供網上服務。 另外，這位PAGCOR「話事人」也預計網上博彩的擴張會令到在 2021年從博彩營運商得到的稅費達到約7.61億美元。