Marcos accused the sector of facilitating illicit activities like financial scamming, money laundering, prostitution, human trafficking, kidnapping, torture and murder
Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (Pagcor) has been ordered to halt all its POGO operations by the end of the year. Marcos announced in his third State of the Nation Address (SONA).
Marcos’ announcement was met with rapturous applause and the house agreed to act quickly to initiate the ban. House speaker Martin Romualdez promised to take action once the agenda was revealed.
“The president’s SONA will provide a clear roadmap and the house is prepared to translate this vision into tangible legislative outcomes,” Romualdez said. “We are prepared to hit the ground running and deliver on our promises to the public.”
A campaign was launched in 2022 calling for POGOs to be outlawed. Senator Joel Villanueva launched Senate Bill 1281 in September 2022 to outlaw all forms of online gambling amid claims that prominent public figures were being influenced by the POGO sector.
Why have POGOs been banned in the Philippines?
Marcos hailed the ban necessary to prevent further “grave abuse and disrespect” to Philippines laws.
POGOs have proved increasingly controversial amid reports of links to serious crimes in the country, with various facilities raided. Over 1,000 computers were seized from provider CGC Technologies in May 2023 after they were accused of credit card fraud and human trafficking.
“Disguising as legitimate entities, their operations have ventured into illicit areas furthest from gaming such as financial scamming, money laundering, prostitution, human trafficking, kidnapping, brutal torture, even murder,” Marcos said.
Marcos also called upon the department of labour and employment to work alongside economic managers in the nation to source employment for Filipinos who will be left without a job as a result of the ban.
Where does Pagcor stand on POGOs?
In June, Pagcor chairman and chief executive Alejandro Tengco defended legitimate POGOs in June, as high-profile raids of an illegal POGO operation in Porac found evidence of torture.
Tengco stated that scam syndicates and alien hacking were more of a danger to national security, with POGOs licensed by the regulator contributing over PHP5bn ($85m/€79m/£66m) to Pagcor’s 2023 gross revenues.
Earlier this month, suspended Bamban mayor Alice Guo went missing after she was linked to crimes relating to the offshore gambling industry. A warrant was issued for Guo’s arrest after she failed to attend two different court hearings, with officials fearing she may have fled the country.
Senator Sherwin Gatchalian, who has long been critical of POGOs, claimed he had been sent death threats over his attempts to ban the sector in the Philippines.
Original article: https://igamingbusiness.com/legal-compliance/philippines-president-pogo-ban/
