The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) issued new guidelines for the country’s land-based casino operators, which will force them to step up scrutiny of their junket partners and agents.

According to the regulator all casino operators “must assess the fitness and propriety nature” of the junket operator relationships.

According to the new PAGCOR guidelines, the onus is on casino operators to examine whether junket operators “have been subject to any judgment debt or award in the Philippines or elsewhere, that remains outstanding or was not satisfied either in whole or in part.”

The new guidelines are a part of PAGCOR’s commitment to strengthening anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing controls in the region. The key criteria include “key individuals who have been convicted, on indictment of dishonesty, fraud, breach of trust, money laundering, terrorist financing, proliferation financing, theft, or financial crimes.”

Other key criteria include a focus on “key persons who have made any arrangements with their creditors, filed for bankruptcy, been adjudged as bankrupt, been the subject of bankruptcy petition, or have been involved in proceedings relating to any of these.”

Entitled “Casino Guide for a Fitness and Proprietary Assessment for Junket Operators V1.0,” the guidelines are centered on a focus on “Reputation, Honesty and Integrity; Competence and Capability as it relates to Experience, Educational Background and Other Qualifications; and Financial Soundness.”

Junket operators will be required to pass these new checks to in order to maintain their junket agreements with land-based casinos in the Philippines. The move by PAGCOR comes as current chair Andrea Domingo is about to retire from her role in the wake of the election in the Philippines.