The Philippines.- In light of recent events, Senate majority leader Joel Villanueva has pressed President Marcos Jr. to put an immediate halt to Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs). This comes on the heels of a police operation in Pasay City, where an unlicensed gaming facility was discovered to have potential ties to sex trafficking incidents.
Senators Villanueva, along with Sherwin Gatchalian, who leads the Senate Committee on Ways and Means, have been vocal about their concerns over illegal POGO activities. They believe that the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) needs to adopt a more proactive approach. According to the senators, the adverse societal impacts stemming from these operations overshadow any perceived economic gains. This highlights the pressing need for tighter controls, and possibly even complete bans.
Despite PAGCOR‘s move to nullify and then reinstate all POGO licences in an effort to strengthen oversight, doubts linger regarding its efficacy. There’s evidence that some entities simply resume their operations under altered identities. A committee report, crafted under Gatchalian’s supervision, is in the pipeline, awaiting additional endorsements from committee affiliates prior to its Senate presentation.
Tags: #POGO, #PhilippineSenate, #PAGCOR, #PasayCityRaid, #HumanTrafficking, #Regulation, #GamingOperators.
