Marcos: Full force of law to go after illegal POGOs

By Darryl John Esguerra, Philippine News Agency

FILE: POGO BAN. Authorities guard a raided Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGO) hub in Pasay City on Nov. 6, 2023. (PNA file photo by Yancy Lim)

MANILA – President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has warned those who will go against his total ban on Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) that the full force of the law will hunt and shut them down.

“Kanselado na ang lahat ng lisensya ng POGO at IGL [internet gaming licensees] sa buong bansa! (All the licenses of POGO and IGL operators nationwide have been canceled),” Marcos said in a social media post Wednesday evening following a meeting with the multi-agency task force that oversees the shutdown of POGOs in the country.

“Hindi na kailanman papayagang manalasa ang mga ito. Sino mang magtangka na magsagawa ng ilegal na operasyon ay haharap sa buong puwersa ng ating batas (They will never be allowed to ravage our country again. Anyone who will conduct illegal operations will face the full force of the law),” he added.

The President, in his third State of the Nation Address in July, responded to mounting calls to ban POGOs, which had been linked to serious issues, including human trafficking, prostitution and murder, and ordered a halt to operations immediately, with a complete phase-out scheduled by Dec. 31.

The ban covers all POGOs, legitimate and otherwise, IGLs, and other offshore gaming licensees.

According to the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (PAGCOR), only seven licensed POGOs remain, down from 60 in mid-2024 when Marcos first announced the total ban.

The remaining operations are working to meet the deadline.

All POGO and IGL licenses will be revoked by Dec. 15, PAGCOR said.