A recent spike of controversy and scandal within the Offshore Gaming Operators sector, often abbreviated to POGOs, has drawn significant attention in recent times. An offshore gaming hub in Sun Valley Clark had to shutter its operations due to innumerable illegal operators being implicated in crimes varying from illicit gambling to human trafficking. Most notably, their deeds have drawn the Philippines into an international scandal.
CDC Confronts Rising Problems with POGOs
In the United States, an instance of opportunistic crime surfaced when a domain name specifically intended for the promotion of national history was covertly redirected to the promotion of an illegal gambling operation based in the Philippines. Concurrently, the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation or PAGCOR confirmed that its CDC Board of Directors have made a unanimous decision on Tuesday to discontinue the operations of POGOs and affiliated service providers within the Clark Freeport Zone.
The decision comes just a few days after PAGCOR announced plans to further regulate sub-licenses and prohibit POGOs from offering sub-licensing services. CDC’s president and CEO, Agnes Devanadera, voiced her support for the new policy. Devanadera stressed that any international gaming entity already recognized by PAGCOR would no longer be processed or approved for a CDC license.
The consequence of this directive is that only the present POGOs in the Clark Freeport Zone are permitted to vend products—only until their existing licenses lapse. Presently, this permits just four entities. Pointedly, PAGCOR released a statement on Monday, declaring that POGOs carrying sub-licenses will be abolished from further sub-licensing services.
PAGCOR Increases Strict Measures against POGOs
The domino effect of legal reprisals and enforcement action began last month when PAGCOR shifted their focus onto Sun Valley Clark. In this self-proclaimed gaming hub, they revealed a plethora of dishonest practices, including cryptocurrency fraud, human trafficking, and illicit gambling.
A notable entity under sanction was CGC Technologies, which found itself facing severe accusations of credit card fraud, human trafficking, and unlawful detention. PAGCOR affirmed its intent to issue show-cause orders valued at $50,000 to those entities found to engage in sub-licensing.
