The Philippines has historically tried to give offshore casinos using Filipino licensing to operate in the region a fair chance at becoming sustainable online gambling businesses.

In June, we reported that the PAGCOR Chairman and CEO Alejandro H. Tengco spoke out in defence of the sector, calling it not to be unfairly demonised. However, recent proof of illegal actions has made those calls fall on deaf ears.

 No More Leeway for POGOs

President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos, has taken a bold step towards eradicating the controversial Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) by announcing a total ban on the sector.

In his recent State of the Nation address, Marcos stated:

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"Disguised as legitimate entities, POGOs have ventured into illicit activities beyond gaming, such as financial scamming, money laundering, and [other human rights violations]. This grave abuse and disrespect for our laws must stop. We need to end this disruption in our society and restore respect for our country."

This move is part of a broader initiative to clean up the nation's gambling sector and tackle associated criminal activities.

Marcos believes banning POGOs will significantly help solve the country's issues, urging citizens to remain vigilant and prioritise the nation's well-being.

 Cracking Down on the Black Market

This crackdown aligns with the Philippines' efforts to get removed from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) grey list, where the gambling industry has been a significant factor. The Philippines' gambling regulator, PAGCOR, has intensified its campaign to clean up the local gambling sector, aiming to boost the country's economic growth.

PAGCOR recently reported that nearly 75% of illegal online gambling sites have been blocked. Retired General Raul Villanueva, head of PAGCOR's Security Monitoring Cluster, admitted struggling to block black market sites, especially those using cryptocurrencies for cross-border transactions.

Villanueva explained:

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"Of the 7,747 illegal offerings, 5,793 have been blocked, and 1,954 are still active. There is no comprehensive study on payment blocking, as criminals use complex systems like offshore banking and cryptocurrencies. However, we have engaged with payment platforms like GCash and Maya, who have pledged to help eliminate these illegal sites."

China Lends a Helping Hand

China has also exerted pressure on the Philippines, condemning POGOs for enabling their citizens to gamble illegally. Chinese and Philippine law enforcement have collaborated closely, conducting joint operations to combat cross-border gambling and telecom fraud.

In the past year alone, China has helped shut down five POGO hubs and sent almost 1,000 Chinese nationals home to face criminal charges.

This decisive action by President Marcos marks a significant shift in the Philippines' approach to its gambling industry. The country aims to eliminate illegal activities and restore law and order.