The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) issued a statement on February 4th, strongly condemning criminals for spreading false information through forged official letters and text messages, misleading the public to believe that the Philippine Offshore Gaming Operations (POGO) are about to reopen.
Alejandro H. Tengco, Chairman and CEO of PAGCOR, pointed out that recently, scam groups have been deceiving potential investors by claiming that "POGO is about to resume," coaxing them to pay high fees for a limited number of POGO licenses, which they claim will be directly managed by PAGCOR.
"These claims are completely unfounded," emphasized Tengco. "POGO remains prohibited, and the government has no plans to reopen it now or in the future."
He further warned that scam groups are demanding up to 50 million pesos in legal fees, consultancy fees, and evaluation fees from investors, thereby profiting exorbitantly. "We clarify once again that under the presidency of Ferdinand Marcos, POGO will not resume operations, and PAGCOR will not accept any related applications."
Tengco reminds the public that if they receive any text messages or letters claiming to offer POGO licenses, they should immediately report them to PAGCOR, the police, and relevant law enforcement agencies to avoid being deceived. "These scammers must be stopped, and we call on everyone to remain vigilant and join us in combating such illegal activities."
PAGCOR reiterates its full cooperation with the government in combating gambling fraud, ensuring that the public interest is not compromised.
