The Chairman of the Philippines’ gaming regulator (PAGCOR) says that he doesn’t want the authority to have police powers and that even if all offshore gaming licenses were canceled, foreign criminal activity would remain a problem.

The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (PAGCOR) has issued a total of 40 licenses to offshore gaming operators or internet gaming licensees (IGL).

A lower licensing fee for Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGOs) operations is seen as a mutually beneficial act for both operators and regulators.

No report on displaced Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) workers has yet been received by the nation’s Department of Labor and Employment, according to the Labor Secretary.

The Bureau of Immigration announced that about 2,000 foreign staff members of Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGOs) had their working visas downgraded to tourist visas. This action follows President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s directive to ban POGOs in the country.

The employment permits for both foreign and local employees at offshore gaming operators (POGOs, now known as IGLs) in the Philippines are set to remain valid until December 31st of this year.

It continues to be a waiting game in the Philippines, as uncertainty clouds the future of the offshore gaming industry following the announcement of a POGO ban, to take effect by December 31st. A top legal expert points out that bills still need to be passed by legislative bodies to confirm the change, even as operators sit in limbo, expecting the worst. Meanwhile, SkyCity saw flat results for its fiscal year, despite an uptick in premium play. And in Macau, a joint operation by authorities busted a $420 million illegal currency trade group, continuing efforts to clean up the gaming sector.

One month after Philippine President Marcos' POGO ban, the immediate effect and December 31st deadline have sparked debate, with implementation details still unclear.

Top executives from the Spectrum Gaming Group believe that the move to ban offshore gaming operators (POGOs) in the Philippines could go a long way towards getting the nation removed from the Financial Action Task Force’s (FATF) grey list. Fredric Gushin and Paul Bromberg share their opinions on what the ban could mean and what will happen next.

The Philippines’ gaming regulator (PAGCOR) is looking to have “sort of an upgraded version” of offshore gaming, despite the mandate by the nation’s president to shutter POGO operations under its purview.