In Philippines, Chinese gambler-focused Pogos face fresh ban threat

In the bill he filed late last month, Senator Sherwin Gatchalian called for the Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (Pogo) sector to be outlawed, citing a proliferation of human trafficking cases and online scams.

“While the Pogo industry has brought in revenue and jobs, the country has grappled with a surge in related crimes, raising concerns about the overall impact,” Gatchalian said in a statement on Friday.

At the height of the Pogo boom, more than 300,000 Chinese workers were employed by the sector. But official estimates now put the number staying legally in the Philippines closer to 100,000-150,000.

Senator Risa Hontiveros pushed the government to ban Pogos in November last year, citing national security concerns.

But each time, the potential loss of income reportedly prevented Manila taking action. Around 8.88 billion pesos (US$160 million) in taxes were collected from the industry in 2022, according to the latest available data from the Philippine Department of Finance.

Tax revenue from the Pogo sector “is being used to fund government projects nationwide” and “would be difficult to find” if it didn’t come from gaming, Beleno said.

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But the industry is also rife with accusations of criminal activity and syndicates using the profits to influence government decisions.

“These syndicates could be fronting as Pogos but are engaged in criminal activities such as human trafficking and scamming,” Gatchalian said previously.

The Pogo sector has long raised security concerns in the Philippines, according to security analyst Joshua Espeña, vice-president of the Manila-based International Development and Security Cooperation think tank.

“Most of these Pogos are near military