PAGCOR denies NDRP contains names of gambling addicts
Database lists restricted individuals, mostly public officials.
Key points:
– PAGCOR says NDRP is not a list of addicted gamblers
– Data breach linked to a licensee, not PAGCOR’s main website
– Most names are government officials barred from gambling by law
The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) has clarified that the National Database of Restricted Persons (NDRP), recently linked to a hacking incident, does not contain the names of gambling addicts.
In a statement issued today, PAGCOR explained that the database is a working compilation of individuals who are not legally permitted to gamble. This includes government officials, those who requested self-exclusion and persons blacklisted by gaming licensees.
According to PAGCOR Assistant Vice President for Gaming Licensing and Development, Ma. Vina Claudette Oca, the current list contains over 560,000 names, mainly sourced from the Department of the Interior and Local Government. The majority are elected officials who are barred from entering gambling venues.
Ms Oca also said that the NDRP includes 1,711 individuals excluded through formal requests by themselves, family members or PAGCOR-licensed operators. However, she stressed that these cases do not necessarily involve gambling addiction.
Good to know: The NDRP is maintained by PAGCOR’s Gaming Licensing and Development Department, but the agency notes that the list is incomplete and still undergoing updates
PAGCOR added that the recent data breach did not originate from its official website. It believes the information was obtained from one of its licensees who had access to the database for screening purposes.
The agency issued the statement following online speculation that hackers had accessed a national registry of gambling addicts. PAGCOR reiterated that such claims were inaccurate and misleading.
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