Senator Risa Hontiveros has called for a total ban on all online gambling in the Philippines as Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) continue to run rampant.
The Senator claimed the continued illegal operations of former POGOs were the reason behind her call for a blanket ban.
In November 2024, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. signed Executive Order No. 74 into law which mandated a complete shutdown of POGOs by 31 December, 2024.
The country’s law enforcement has faced difficulties shutting down operations, as they shift to smaller, reinvented POGO operations, which are evading detection through offering crypto casino, or relocating to residential areas and provinces to avoid detection.
llegal POGOs Persist Despite Ban—Senator Calls for Tougher Action
Sen. Hontiveros has argued that the Executive Order does not go far enough, suggesting that online gambling within PAGCOR-licensed casinos. She claims that a harsher legislative measure is needed to permanently prohibit all forms of online gambling.
Authorities in the country suggest that POGOs will simply continue to adapt their operational methods, making it near impossible to fully police.
The country now estimates that 11,000 foreign nationals, mainly Chinese workers, continue to operate now-outlawed gambling platforms. The Bureau of Immigration (BI) is also monitoring former POGO workers, and recently over 500 foreign nationals were apprehended for activity relating to POGOs.
Many former POGO operators have strong links with severe criminal activity. Recently, a fourteen-year-old Chinese student had his finger cut off in a kidnap and ransom attempt by a gang comprised of former law enforcement officers. The victim’s family and gang leader were both believed to have previously been involved in POGO operations.
Hontiveros said: “If the law enforcers could not catch up in stamping out POGOs, then a moratorium on online gaming would be a very good option.”
“Reinvented POGOs must not find a space in casinos and junket agreements under PAGCOR’s jurisdiction,” she continued.
Illegal Betting Rings and Human Trafficking: The Dark Side of POGOs
The Philippine Anti-Organized Crime Commission has warned that scam hubs linked to POGOs could become a permanent fixture in Filipino society should law enforcement fail to fully eliminate the gangs.
Recently, Manila police arrested 450 individuals, of which 137 were Chinese Nationals for links to a fraudulent sports betting and investment scheme targeting both China and India.
POGO operators also have links to human trafficking, with Filipinos being lured with free foreign trips and being forced into illegal operations in Thailand, Myanmar, and Cambodia.
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