PAGCOR says no to Philweb contract renewal
News on 9 Aug 2016
News on 9 Aug 2016
Gaming technology provider PhilWeb took a massive punch Monday as news broke that the gaming regulator Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor) will not renew the company’s 5-year intellectual property license agreement (IPLA) which expired July 11, but was extended to August 10, 2016.
The development evolved following an intensive anti-online gambling and anti-oligarchy campaign driven by Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte which resulted in the resignations of Robert Ongpin as PhilWeb chairman and director along with his daughter Anna Bettina Ongpin as vice chairman and a director (see previous reports).
The listed company said closure would be its only option following the loss of the IPLA, and as a consequence job losses would affect around 5000 people and see the shutdown of around 286 e-games outlets, unless the regulator could be convinced to reconsider its decision.
Dennis Valdes, president of PhilWeb, told Bloomberg he believes [President] Duterte may have been misinformed on the nature of PhilWeb’s business.
“Thus, we are seeking a meeting with Pagcor chairman Andrea Domingo so that we may fully explain our side,” Valdes explained.
“PhilWeb is merely a software provider to Pagcor for its network of e-Games outlets. We are not online gaming. Our software cannot be played from homes or offices.
“Each e-Games outlet is owned by an individual entrepreneur whose gaming license is issued by Pagcor directly to them.
“As a publicly listed company on the Philippine Stock Exchange, our records are fully open to public scrutiny and are available for a full investigation at any time”.
