The Philippine government has begun revoking the licenses of Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO), which took effect December 15, 2024.
The Philippine government has revoked the licenses of all Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs).
The order took effect on December 15, 2024.
Gilbert Cruz, Executive Director of the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC), has stated that his agency will be conducting inspections on the remaining POGOs to ensure they have completely ceased operations as mandated by the government.
The PAOCC has obtained a list of these remaining POGOs from PAGCOR (Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation) and plans to conduct thorough inspections to verify that they have indeed shut down. Cruz expressed concern that some POGOs might claim to have stopped operations while continuing their activities in secret.
“Merong listahan na binigay sa amin ang PAGCOR, yung mga naiwan na 20 [POGOs] na supposed to be nag wind down na rin, tumigil na rin. So ang gagawin namin dyan, iinspeksyunin namin yung remaining days hanggang sa katapusan,” Cruz said.
(PAGCOR gave us a list of the 20 POGOs which have supposedly wound down, to make sure they have ceased their operations. So what we’re going to do is we will inspect the remaining days.)
Additionally, Cruz mentioned that the PAOCC will be targeting smaller-scale POGO operations that have moved to hidden locations such as resorts, condominiums, and subdivisions. These smaller operations often involve a limited number of employees and are harder to detect. The agency plans to crack down on these hidden operations in the coming year.
Furthermore, Cruz confirmed that approximately 2,500 foreign nationals involved in POGOs have already been deported. He indicated that the government anticipates deporting more foreign nationals associated with these operations in the near future.
POGOs are businesses that offer online gambling services to customers overseas. They have become increasingly popular in the Philippines in recent years, with estimates suggesting that there are now hundreds of POGO operations in the country.
The growth of the POGO industry has been accompanied by a number of social problems, including crime, prostitution, and money laundering.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., during his State of the Nation Address (SONA) ordered POGOs gone by the end of the year, amid cybersecurity concerns and geopolitical tensions with China, where most of these POGO workers allegedly come from.
The government has said that it is committed to helping those who will be affected by the POGO crackdown. It has said that it will provide assistance to foreign workers who are deported, and that it will help Filipinos who lose their jobs in the POGO industry to find new employment.
Read related article: POGOs Brought in P166.49 Billion According to Dept of Finance
Comments