PAOCC: All POGOs should be closed down amid revocation of licenses

The Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) said Sunday that no Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) should already be operating in the country with the cancellation of their licenses taking effect today, December 15, 2024.

PAOCC executive director Gilbert Cruz said they will monitor the situation on the ground along with the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR), who had said that licenses of remaining POGOs will be revoked by December 15.

“May listahan tayo diyan at ang sabi sa amin ng PAGCOR na kulang-kulang mga 20 na lang 'yan. Dapat sarado na po 'yan hanggang katapusan. Imo-monitor natin 'yan,” he said in a Super Radyo dzBB interview.

(We have a list and the PAGCOR told us that there are only about 20 POGOs remaining. That should be closed until the end of the year. We will monitor that.)

“At by January, total operation na tayo dahil talagang totally, wala na talagang POGO, wala nang IGLs (internet gambling licensee), even yung nagsasabi na sila’y licensed na BPOs (business process outsourcing) natin. Hindi na pwede ‘yung mga ganun,” he added.

(By January, we will launch a full operation against them because by then, there really should be no POGOs, IGLs, or even licensed BPOs. They will no longer be allowed.)

President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr., in his third State of the Nation Address in July, banned all POGOs after some were implicated in crimes, including human trafficking, serious illegal detention, and money scams.

In November, Marcos issued Executive Order No. 74, which states that the ban on POGOs and internet gaming licenses shall encompass illegal offshore gaming operations, license applications, license renewals, and cessation of operations.

Cruz said that they will conduct an inspection of the POGOs that have supposedly shut down to see if they are really not operating anymore amid the total ban.

“Next week, mag-iinspeksyon na kami nung mga sinabing nagsara… Syempre ayaw namin nung baka maisahan kami, sinabi nila nagsara sila pero hindi naman talaga nagsara,” he said.

(Next week, we will inspect the POGOs that should’ve been closed... We don't want them to deceive us, saying that they have shut down but in reality, they haven’t.)

“So by Tuesday nga may pupuntahan kaming isang malaki na POGO hub, sinasabing POGO hub, titignan namin kung talagang sila ay talagang nagsara na,” he continued.

(On Tuesday we're going to a big POGO hub, we'll check if they really have closed down.)

The Bureau of Immigration had set an October 15 deadline for foreign workers previously employed by POGOs to downgrade their visas or face deportation. Over 21,000 foreign workers applied for visa downgrades.

The President also ordered law enforcement and anti-corruption agencies to launch smaller but multiple operations against POGOs that continue to exist in the country despite the total ban.—RF, GMA Integrated News