Philippine President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos announced a ban on POGOs (Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators) on Monday during his State of the Nation Address.
Going forward, no new licenses for POGOs will be granted, while existing POGOs will have the remainder of the year to wind down.
POGOs have been legal in the Philippines since 2003. These gaming companies, while based in the Philippines, service offshore markets. At one time, up to 300 POGOs were operating in the Southeast Asian country. In 2016, President Duterte implemented tougher regulations on the sector, reducing the number of licensed POGOs to about 50. But pockets of unlicensed POGOs – some with ties to criminal enterprises – continue to operate.
President Marcos has been under pressure to ban POGOs following recent investigations tying some operators to criminal activities. Several senators called upon the president to use his State of the Nation Address to announce a ban. When it was ultimately announced, Marcos received a standing ovation from Congress.
“The grave abuse and disrespect to our system of laws must stop," Marcos said.
“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.”
Scandalous headlines fuel POGO ban
Recent raids in Porac, Pampanga uncovered hundreds of foreign workers, cash, jewelry, and illicit drugs. In May, authorities raided the Baofu Compound in the province of Tarlac, where the POGO Zun Yuan Technology operated. The raid was conducted after receiving complaints of human trafficking.
Mayor Alice Guo, one of the founders of Baofu Land Development Company, got caught up in the scandal. Questioned by senators investigating POGO activities in the country, Guo claimed she no longer held an interest in Baofu or owned a vehicle still registered to her found on the premises.
More intriguing was Guo’s inability to provide any documentation proving her birth or education in the Philippines, leading some to suspect she is a clandestine Chinese asset. This month, Guo’s assets were frozen and an arrest warrant for her was issued. Guo’s current whereabouts are unknown.
“Vigilance” and “principles” key to solving Philippines’ problems
Marcos admitted that banning POGOs wasn’t a panacea.
“It will solve many of the problems that we have been encountering, but it will not solve all of them. To solve all the problems that we have been suffering under, all officials, law enforcers, workers in government and most of all the citizenry must always be vigilant, principled, and think of the health of the nation.”
Marcos charged the country’s Department of Labor and Employment to find employment for workers displaced by the POGO ban.
