MANILA, Philippines — Starting today, Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) will no longer be allowed to operate in the Philippines, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said in his third State of the Nation Address.
“Effective today, all POGOs are banned,” said Marcos.
He then instructed the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) to cease POGO operations by the end of the year.
“I hereby instruct PAGCOR to wind down and cease the operation of POGOs by the end of the year,” he said.
The chief executive’s announcement sparked a wave of enthusiasm from the crowd with lawmakers erupting into a standing ovation, and chanting “BBM, BBM, BBM” in jubilant unison.
Marcos also directed the Department of Labor and Employment to assist in finding new job opportunities for Filipinos impacted by the ban.
During his address, Marcos said POGOs are pretending to be legitimate organizations while actually engaging in illegal activities adding that their operation has to stop amid the increasing abuses done by operators in the country.
POGOs began operating in 2003, according to the amusement and gaming bureau, but it wasn’t until 2016, after Duterte took office, that the government started regulating online gaming hubs in the country.
“Disguising as legitimate entities, their activities have ventured into illicit areas, furthest from gaming, such as financial scamming, money laundering, prostitution, human trafficking, kidnapping, brutal torture, and murder,” he said.
Recently several controversies have been linked to POGOs following the spate of operations raiding illegal hubs in Luzon, one of which was allegedly represented by Atty. Harry Roque, a former Duterte administration official.
Several lawmakers have already called on concerned agencies to ban POGOs in the country, while the ball is on Marcos, the chief executive has been silent about its shutdown in the country.
In the past weeks, economic managers and the labor department were placed in the hot seat on the fate of POGOs in the Philippines. The Department of Finance (DOF) and the National Economic and Development Authority have supported the ban on POGOs as permitting the expansion of POGOs is costing the Philippines approximately P99.5 billion yearly.
Reports showed that the POGO ban is projected to create a 1.05 million square meter vacancy in office space in the country. Additionally, PAGCOR estimates that it could lead to a staggering loss of up to P40 billion in gaming revenues.
Aside from the economic impacts, threats within the national security have also alarmed lawmakers, pressuring Marcos to act fast with the height of the case of suspended Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo unfolding the release of fake birth certificates.
