You will absolutely need to anchor to the actual footer.

You don't mention where you are located, but if you're in a hurricane-prone area, tornado zone, near the Great Lakes - or any other place subject to weather - you need to be anchored to the footers. Not only will you lose your pergola, but the pieces become projectiles.

I'm with the other posters - the gazebo needs to be anchored. Agree with your suggestion of moving the gazebo over especially since the back bent isn't resting on the pavers but the border around the paves instead. Simpson does have some retrofit anchors that might work in your situation.

Is there an actual structural column inside the cladding? In most places this is a structure needing a permit.

No matter where you are located nothing can be mounted into pavers.

Remove the pavers around each post. Fasten the posts to the footings. The brackets supplied should account for the plates being hidden, but if necessary use a Simpson post anchor (standoff preferred). Re-lay the pavers up to the post (allowing horizontal movement), using new pavers if the holes will not be covered by the trim. Install base trim on post (allowing vertical movement) to cover 'gap.'

Thanks for all the suggestions, thoughts so far! Gazebo will be far away from any structures and under 256 sq feet, which is the cutoff in my Virginia county, so no permit required.
Any specific thoughts on if moving over a couple of inches only is enough to redrill? Just thinking about if pavers might crack. Concrete footer should be fine given previous holes didn’t really penetrate, at least what I am thinking.
Also, was a handyman the right way to go with the assembly to begin with? Maybe just the choice of handyman….

Not sure how long the pavers have been there...but they need to be removed, the pergola anchored on it's footings then the pavers could be refitted around the base of the pergola columns.

Have no idea how large your footing is or it's shape, so how much to move the structure over is unknown. The posts should land on the footing, and if the same anchors are reused, refer to the manufacturer instructions on how close those bolts should be to the edge of the footing. Absent that use minimum 2 1/2" from edge for 1/2"dia bolts. That will determine where posts are placed and the pavers will enclose around that.

Don't install the structure based on existing bolt holes in pavers, install it based on your footings. Deal with aesthetics of unused holes as you wish. The structure's connection to the footings, to generally describe it, help prevent the structure from folding over on itself.

I agree with everyone else- the pavers need to be removed, the pergola set down on the footers and properly bolted, then the pavers relaid to fit around the structure. The cuts in the pavers will be hidden by the decorative trim on the base of the columns.

It has to be secured to the footings to keep the wind from putting it into someone’s living room 5 miles away.

Thanks for all the help and advice. Trickiest thing has been to find someone interested in doing the assembly, given I parted ways with the original handyman who didn’t want to/see the need to anchor properly (bolts will have to be cut to re-anchor, etc).
Am I just looking in the wrong place for handyman or more suited to a contractor? One well known national handyman chain for instance said the 12x20 size was too much for them. So much so I am starting to think I might just have to try doing myself….

It’s a pretty big job that requires specialist tools that most ‘handymen’ won’t have- cutting concrete, anchoring into a footer, moving a big timber structure.