Manila: The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) clarified that the hacked National Database of Restricted Persons (NDRP) is not a list of gambling addicts but a compilation of names of people who are not allowed to gamble such as government officials.

According to Philippines News Agency, PAGCOR issued the statement after social media posts said that hackers were able to access the NDRP, and erroneously claimed that the database is a list of gambling addicts.

PAGCOR's Gaming Licensing and Development Department (GLDD), which maintains the NDRP, said the database is still being updated and needs more inputs from other government agencies. The list was likely obtained from one of its gaming licensees who have access to the NDRP so that they can screen and prevent restricted persons from gambling.

Ma. Vina Claudette Oca, PAGCOR Assistant Vice President for GLDD, said the current database contains over 560,000 names only, mainly elected officials sourced from the Department of the Interior and Local Government website. 'The names on the list are not necessarily addicted gamblers; most are government officials who, by law, are not allowed to enter gambling establishments, thus their inclusion in the NDRP,' Oca said.

There are also 1,711 banned persons in the NDRP. These are individuals who have been subject to requests for self-exclusion, family exclusion or exclusions initiated by our licensees, but they are not necessarily addicts or government officials.