The Philippines’ efforts to eliminate Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) are proving successful, with only 100 POGO hubs being monitored.
According to a Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) spokesperson, a report by the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) indicates that “many have already closed shop and many are already wrapping up their operations”.
PAOCC executive director Undersecretary Gilbert Cruz indicated confidence in shuttering all vestiges of illegal POGOs, saying smaller operators are converging, making it easier to find them as they operate primarily at night.
The official also indicated that local chief executives involved in illegal POGO operations will soon be facing legal cases.
“We have already connected the dots as to who are involved in POGOs. A lot of names have already surfaced,” indicated Cruz in an interview cited by the Philippine News Agency.
Legal POGO operations have all been mandated to close by the end of the year, following an announcement by the nation’s President, Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in July.
The shuttering of the operations and the pursuit of illegal operators has continued to top headlines in recent months, with the prominent case of ‘POGO mayor’ Alice Guo and the crackdown on POGO compounds in the country. On October 10th, Philippine authorities also arrested Lyo Dong, a key figure allegedly behind illegal POGO and other operations for over a decade.
