The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) stated at a Senate hearing that all legal licenses for Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) have been fully revoked. However, illegal POGOs continue to operate covertly, gradually shifting to more hidden small-scale gambling networks, increasing the difficulty of law enforcement.
Jessa Fernandez, Vice President of PAGCOR, reported at the hearing that since July 22, 2024, PAGCOR has ceased issuing and renewing online gaming licenses, and officially revoked the operating licenses of all 42 POGOs on December 31, along with revoking the qualifications of 18 service providers and closing 304 POGO operational sites nationwide.
Despite the government's stringent measures, Raul Villanueva, Senior Vice President of PAGCOR, acknowledged that some former POGO operators have turned to illegal operations, setting up small gambling outposts in residential areas and city outskirts to evade law enforcement.
"These illegal sites are not as conspicuous as before, and law enforcement actions must be coordinated with local governments, commercial licensing offices, and building management to be initiated," Villanueva added.
In response to external concerns that some POGOs might transform into "Philippine Inland Gaming Operators" (PIGOs) to circumvent the government ban, PAGCOR disclosed that it has issued 61 PIGO licenses and promised to submit a complete list to the Senate.
PIGOs primarily target the local Philippine market, covering casinos and online gaming, operating similarly to POGOs but regulated by Philippine laws and limited to domestic players.
To ensure that PIGOs do not become a new regulatory loophole, PAGCOR plans to further strengthen its "responsible gaming" policy, including the introduction of artificial intelligence (AI) technology to monitor player behavior, to prevent the gaming industry from falling back into regulatory disarray.
