CICC calls Discord dangerous, then offers clickable links to gambling sites

• IN PHOTO: A CICC-operated blocking page warns users against unlicensed gambling sites, then tells them, “For your safety,” to use PAGCOR-approved alternatives displayed as clickable links. The page carries the logos of several government agencies and directs visitors to commercial online gambling platforms.

DECODED: TECH, TRUTH, AND THREATS

Yes, you read that right. The CICC blocks legitimate platforms, then links Filipinos to gambling sites. This agency appears to have a dangerously confused idea of online safety.

Together with the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), the CICC recently ordered the blocking of Discord, a legitimate communications platform used worldwide. Officials later admitted that they did not know Discord was widely used for school, work and business.

They mistakenly believed it was used only for gaming, overlooking its importance to educators, students, software developers, cybersecurity professionals, businesses, journalists, artists and support communities.

READ:

BREAKING: Discord banned in PH — CICC

The order disrupted legitimate users but did little to stop criminals, who could move elsewhere or circumvent the restriction. Following widespread criticism, the brains behind the move reversed the block and apologized.

The same agency has long taken a remarkably different approach to online gambling, and the practice continues today.

People attempting to visit a non PAGCOR-accredited gambling website are redirected to blocked.sbmd.cicc.gov.ph. The government page carries the logos of the NTC, CICC, DICT, PAGCOR and other agencies.

It warns that the blocked site is not licensed, that users have reported scams and fake games, and that personal data may be at risk. These warnings are appropriate.

But the page then says: “For your safety, please use the PAGCOR-approved websites listed below.”

Under that message are the names and logos of Okada Play, NUSTAR, PlayTime, ArionPlay, BET88, FBMPlay, NinoGaming, Hann Online, NWRPlay, BigBunny, LakiWin and 789 Bingo. These are clickable links that take visitors to gambling platforms. A “More” button offers additional choices.

This goes beyond educating people about licensed and illegal operators. The CICC has built a government-branded gateway to commercial gambling sites. Someone who reaches an illegal site is warned, then presented with alternatives and invited to click.

The phrase “For your safety, please use” sounds like a government recommendation. The official logos reinforce that impression and may lead people to believe that gambling through these platforms is safe.

PAGCOR accreditation means an operator is licensed and regulated. It does not mean that gambling is harmless, that players will not lose money or that the government will reimburse their losses.

Legal and illegal gambling are not identical. Illegal operators create additional risks, including rigged games, identity theft, nonpayment of winnings, money laundering and organized crime. Licensed operators are subject to regulation, taxes, age restrictions and other safeguards.

However, the basic harms of gambling exist on both.

A person can lose an entire salary on a licensed platform. Money intended for food, rent, tuition or medicine can still disappear. A gambler can still borrow money, chase losses, deceive family members and fall deeper into debt.

Gambling is associated with anxiety, depression, relationship breakdown, domestic conflict, unemployment and, in severe cases, suicide. These consequences affect gamblers, their families and their communities. A government license does not remove them. Licensing controls operators; it cannot eliminate human vulnerability.

Online gambling increases accessibility. The casino is now inside the mobile phone, beside banking and e-wallet applications. Deposits take seconds, losses can be chased immediately and gambling can continue privately at any hour.

Platforms can also use notifications, bonuses, rewards and countdowns to encourage repeated play. A small responsible-gambling logo cannot outweigh a prominent gallery of colorful, clickable brands.

The contradiction is glaring. The CICC and DICT blocked Discord because some people allegedly used it for harm, failing to recognize its many legitimate purposes. Now, the CICC directly links people to online casinos because they are licensed.

If consumer protection is the objective, the page should explain risks and direct people to counseling, self-exclusion services and PAGCOR’s verification database. It should not resemble a government-curated casino menu.

The CICC should remove the direct links and clearly state that accreditation means regulated, not safe. Government approval does not guarantee winnings, prevent addiction or recover losses.

The CICC is supposed to protect Filipinos from cybercrime. It should not help gambling companies acquire customers.

Before telling Filipinos which platforms to use, its officials must understand the difference between legal, legitimate and safe. Those words do not mean the same thing.