The Defense Department is asking employees to avoid downloading "Pokemon Go" on their government-issued mobile devices, but has not banned its use in government facilities.

"No the Pentagon has not banned Pokémon Go," Pentagon spokesman Gordon Trowbridge told reporters on Friday. "I think this is perhaps a slight misunderstanding of something that I think taxpayers could understand and appreciate, which is we have asked, as we do periodically, asked Defense Department personnel to avoid putting the game and similar games, on their government-issued mobile devices. But there is no ban on Pokémon Go. And last I heard there is still a gym in the center courtyard. I'm not a player myself so I defer to others."

Trowbridge was clarifying a report by the Washington Times, which said the game had been banned from all Defense Department facilities.

The report said the guidance comes amid concerns about spying and that playing the mobile game could pose a risk to secure information and locations.

Speaking to reporters on Friday, spokesman Capt. Jeff Davis confirmed the "gym" and that he recently captured an unspecified "bat-like" creature using his personal device.

The virtual reality game uses the GPS satellite network for maps of areas around the location of the app's user. It also uses Google Maps to put users in a real-world location.

Data obtained by playing the game thus could provide the exact location of rooms and other sensitive defense facilities, the Times said.

In July, the Wall Street Journal reported that users playing the game on iPhones were giving away private data after signing into their Google accounts. The game's developer, Niantic Inc., has updated what amount of data it can collect.

Editor's note: This story was updated Friday afternoon to reflect that the app can be played in government facilities.