Philippine President Marcos Jr. Announces Ban on Offshore Gaming Operators

Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has declared a ban on Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs), set to begin at the end of the year. This announcement was made during his latest State of the Nation Address.

The decision, which some anticipated, follows numerous high-profile cases where POGOs were implicated in criminal activities. One prominent case that dominated headlines involved “POGO Mayor” Alice Guo, leading to increased calls for reform or a complete ban of the sector.

Marcos addressed the issue directly in his speech, stating that POGOs had deviated from gaming into scams, crime, and even murder. “Effective today, all POGOs are banned,” Marcos announced to enthusiastic applause from the audience. “I hereby instruct PAGCOR to wind down and cease the operations of POGOS by the end of the year,” he continued, also directing government departments to help affected Filipino workers find new employment.

The POGO ban concluded a State of the Nation Address that was well received and focused on the economy and tourism. Notably, the ban will only affect POGOs and will not extend to PIGOs or other legal land-based gaming operations in the country.

By fLEXI tEAM