Players’ Identity at Risk in Illegal Gambling Sites

There is a possibility that illegal gambling sites can use their players’ identity. 

That is what a group raised to the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) last July 13.

Calling themselves “Digital Pinoys,” the group urged the said government agency to act upon illegal gambling sites by blocking them. 

According to a report by GMA News, unregistered gambling operators expose their players to a scheme called “phishing,” leading to a criminal act known as identity theft. Personal information, including bank details, credit card credentials, can be acquired through this method.

Besides phishing, users of these illegal gambling sites are also prone to unauthorized e-wallet transactions.

“Illegal gambling sites should be taken down as soon as possible by the NTC as it poses great risks to Filipinos. Many of these sites have been advertising aggressively, using social media platforms and influencers,” said the group’s national campaigner, Ronald Gustilo.

Furthermore, if left unsupervised, e-wallets like GCash, could be at risk. According to the group, unauthorized transactions have been rampant as of late.

“As per the findings of the National Privacy Commission, the most prevalent cause of account compromise in e-wallet platforms is the patronage of illegal online gambling sites. Because they are illegal, the government does not have any regulation over the platform which makes it dangerous,” explained Gustilo.

He added, “They can use any and all data captured upon access to their site to whatever use they may want to. They can access your credentials, sell your information, and as what happened before, steal your money. Hence the urgency of blocking these sites before any other incident happens.”

How to Spot Illegal Gambling Sites

To avoid falling victim to these schemes, do this:

Avoid platforms not registered under the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR).

Some may represent themselves as “reputable.” Some may even copy the seal of PAGCOR. However, there is one way to check the legitimacy of the platform: by checking the PAGCOR website.

For the list of accredited online casinos, click here.

The agency regularly releases a list of accredited online gambling operators. Operators, such as OKBet, Winzir, and Fairplay, among others are listed on the PAGCOR site as legitimate platforms.

If your current gaming site is not listed on the list, leave immediately for you are putting yourself at risk of having your identity stolen!

READ: NO to Human Trafficking in Online Casinos: A Call to Action