President of the Philippines Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has been urged to revoke the licenses of Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) that serve the mainland Chinese market.
As reported by Inquirer.net, the groups 1Sambayan, EveryWoman, Women2022, and Intercessors of the Philippines have issued a three-page open letter, arguing that these POGOs should be banned. They cited an appeal from the Chinese Embassy in Manila for the Philippine government to prohibit POGOs targeting Chinese nationals.
The Chinese Embassy in Manila emphasized that under Chinese law, ‘any form of gambling, including online gambling and overseas gambling by Chinese citizens, is illegal,’ the groups pointed out.
1Sambayan, EveryWoman, Women2022, and Intercessors of the Philippines also argued that licensing Chinese-focused POGOs violates the Internet Gaming Regulations of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR).
According to these groups, PAGCOR’s Internet Gaming Regulations specify that POGOs must not allow their gaming websites to be accessed within the Philippines or in regions where online gaming is prohibited.
Additionally, the groups noted that recent developments indicate ‘Chinese POGOs are mostly operated by criminal syndicates.’
According to a source familiar with the situation, who informed AGB, these groups are likely associated with a senator or congressman aiming to address issues related to POGOs.
The source noted that there are thousands of such groups registered in the country. The party-list system in the Philippines allows marginalized sectors, such as women, the LGBT community, and indigenous tribes, to be represented in Congress. However, traditional politicians often exploit this system by appointing themselves as representatives, taking advantage of the system’s vague regulations.
In this instance, the groups cite a rule without specifying who is guilty, making “a blanket accusation”. While this will create noise, the court of justice will require more substantial evidence to take action.
Recently, PAGCOR Chairman Alejandro Tengco announced that it will no longer approve POGO hubs, which means POGO operations in sprawling complexes. Instead, POGO locations will be limited to specific sites, such as offices or buildings.
