TLDR
- PAGCOR says gaming regulation must evolve alongside artificial intelligence.
- AI can help spot fraud, monitor compliance, and streamline oversight.
- The same AI tools can also make fraud harder to detect.
- Officials made the comments at the CiG iDEA Summit in Manila.
- PAGCOR is reviewing its policies and working with industry and government partners.
The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation says gaming rules need to keep pace with artificial intelligence. The regulator made the statement this week as AI use grows across the online gaming industry.
Jessa Mariz Fernandez is assistant vice president of PAGCOR’s Electronic Gaming Licensing Department. She spoke about the issue during a keynote speech at the CiG iDEA Summit in Manila on Monday.
Fernandez said the real challenge for regulators is not to push back against new technology. Instead, she said regulatory frameworks must grow alongside AI tools.
She explained that AI is becoming more central to online gaming. It can support monitoring, compliance checks, fraud detection, and general oversight.
At the same time, Fernandez said AI creates new risks. Licensed gambling operators, their customers, and regulators could all face new types of exposure.
AI Can Support Compliance
Fernandez said AI can help regulators find fraud faster. It can also flag unusual activity and improve how compliance teams work.
These tools could help PAGCOR keep up with an online gaming industry that keeps growing more complex. Advanced systems can review activity and flag issues that need closer attention.
AI may also speed up regulatory tasks that once took longer to complete. This could make oversight more efficient overall.
But Fernandez said the same technology cuts both ways. Tools built to catch fraud can also be used to make fraud harder to spot.
This means regulators have to weigh both the benefits and the risks of AI at the same time. PAGCOR said its goal is to support innovation while keeping the licensed market fair and transparent.
Balancing Innovation And Protection
Fernandez said PAGCOR continues to review its internal policies as new tech risks appear. The agency is also working with industry partners and other government bodies.
These partnerships are meant to help PAGCOR respond to risks as they change. Fernandez said the regulator stays open to new approaches that could improve its oversight.
That includes revisiting how rules apply as new technology and business models emerge. She said regulators cannot lean on old assumptions when facing new tools.
Rules and oversight systems need to be able to adjust as the gaming industry changes, Fernandez said. She added that the goal is not to react to every new development without thought.
Instead, PAGCOR wants its regulation to stay responsive without becoming reactionary. Fernandez said the industry itself must also strike a balance between innovation and customer protection.
New technology can open up new ways for companies to operate. But it can also introduce risks that threaten the integrity of the licensed market, she said.
Fernandez said PAGCOR’s role is to keep the regulatory framework relevant as the sector shifts. The agency wants to recognize new risks while still letting legitimate businesses operate under clear rules.
She closed by saying the future of online gaming will be shaped by technology. PAGCOR’s stated priority going forward is keeping the licensed market’s integrity intact as AI and new risks continue to develop.
