Calls for a total ban on Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO) have received strong backing from the country’s Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno. The Cabinet official said the government may look for other sources of revenue when the POGO industry is ultimately shut down.
POGO Risks Outweigh Benefits
POGOs generated nearly PHP4.44 billion (US$80.1 million) in tax revenue in the first eight months of 2022, up from PHP3.91 billion in the entire 2021. But Diokno believes the risks and social costs associated with the industry outweigh any benefit that the government gets from it. He told the “Kapihan sa Manila Bay” weekly news forum that the industry needs to be dismantled given the criminal activities linked to POGO firms which pose a threat to national security and taints the country’s reputation.
Diokno said there are other ways the government can collect significant revenue once POGOs cease their operations.
PAGCOR Keen on Punishing POGO Offenders
The POGO industry has come under increased scrutiny in the Philippines after some operators were found to have been involved in organized crime, including human trafficking. Several government officials want POGOs banned from the country, with Senator Sherwin Gatchalian among the most vocal critics.
Amid the numerous controversies hounding the sector, the country’s gaming regulator, the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR), has vowed to punish violators, especially those engaging in criminal activities. Recent actions from the agency resulted in the cancellation of the license of a third-party firm over its involvement in human trafficking which was uncovered in May.
