Are Pogos in the Philippines evading ban by ‘rebranding’ through corruption?

A Philippine senator has warned that Pogos might be looking to diversify into other businesses in the country, such as call centres

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An illustration of online gambling. Photo: Shutterstock

Published: 5:00pm, 5 Oct 2024

As the Philippine government moves to shut offshore gaming operators (Pogos) over their links to organised crime, experts warn that endemic corruption may enable the industry to persist in the country or relocate abroad.

The industry is operated by criminal elements who are used to moving around while running its operations, said Alvin Camba, a research adviser at Associated Universities Incorporated, who has studied Chinese investments in Southeast Asia.

“I anticipate that a significant number will depart. Some companies will bear the brunt of government shutdowns. The more well-connected firms, however, will likely be spared from this situation,” Camba told This Week in Asia.

“Task Force Pogo Closure”, a multi-agency committee, said in a statement on Wednesday that the visas of foreign Pogo workers would be changed to tourist visas, and they must leave the Philippines in 60 days or face deportation. The committee comprises the Department of Justice, the Department of Labour and Employment, the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation, the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC), and the Bureau of Immigration (BI).

As of September 24, nearly 6,000 visas of Pogo workers have been downgraded, according to BI.

Pogos are Philippines-based online gambling firms that cater mostly to customers from mainland China, where gambling is illegal.