On July 22, 2024, Philippine President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos announced a complete ban on all Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) operating within the country. During his third State of the Nation Address, Marcos declared, "All POGOs are banned."
Marcos directed the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR), a government-owned corporation under the Office of the President, to initiate the winding down process and cease the operations of POGOs by the end of this year.
Highlighting the reasons behind the ban, Marcos emphasized that POGO operations had extended beyond the realm of gaming into illicit activities such as financial scams, money laundering, prostitution, human trafficking, kidnapping, torture, and even murder. By putting an end to POGOs, Marcos aims to combat the criminal activities associated with these operations in the Philippines.
The Department of Finance estimated that POGOs were costing the Philippines approximately 99.5 billion pesos (1.7 billion U.S. dollars) annually. Marcos instructed the Department of Labor and Employment to collaborate with economic managers in finding alternative employment opportunities for those displaced by the cessation of POGO operations.
The ban on POGOs has been a subject of concern for officials, lawmakers, and business leaders in the country. However, Marcos remains steadfast in his decision to eradicate the criminal activities linked to the online gambling industry in the Philippines.
菲律賓總統禁止線上賭博營運商
2024年7月22日,菲律賓總統馮迪納德·羅穆阿爾德茲·馬科斯宣布全面禁止所有在該國經營的菲律賓離岸博彩公司(POGO)。在他的第三次國情咨文演講中,馬科斯宣布:"所有POGO都被禁止。"
馬科斯指示菲律賓博彩管理公司(PAGCOR,一家隸屬於總統府的國有公司)啟動清算過程,並在今年底之前停止POGO的運營。
解釋禁令的原因時,馬科斯強調POGO營運已經超越了賭博領域,涉及金融詐騙、洗錢、賣淫、人口拐賣、綁架、酷刑,甚至謀殺等非法活動。通過禁止POGO,馬科斯旨在打擊菲律賓與這些行為相關的犯罪活動。
財政部估計POGO每年造成菲律賓約995億比索(17億美元)的損失。馬科斯指示勞工就業部與經濟管理者合作,為因POGO業務停止而失業的人尋找其他就業機會。
POGO禁令一直是該國官員、立法者和企業領袖關注的議題。然而,馬科斯堅定地決定根除與菲律賓線上賭博業相關的犯罪活動。
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