State-run Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor) has pointed to a “former high-ranking government official” as having tried to facilitate the grant of gaming licenses to some of the illegal gaming hubs that were recently raided and found engaged in illegal activities.

Pagcor chairperson and CEO Alejandro Tengco said those investigating the suspicious activities of former POGO licensees must likewise look into the role of former officials and their conduits in the grant of licenses to POGO applicants with dubious backgrounds.

The Pagcor chief said he would reveal in the proper forum the identity of the former Cabinet member who had been lobbying for the illegal POGOs, as well as the circumstances that led to the proliferation of illegal and criminal operations.

Regulator’s mandate

“As a regulator, it is our mandate to ensure that only those with valid licenses are allowed to operate all forms of gambling and gaming activities, whether these are land-based casinos or online platforms,” Tengco said.

“It is in the interest of the government to crack the whip against illegal operators, including the so-called offshore gaming operators or POGOs and their backers, because the criminal activities associated with their illegal operations pose serious threats to our people,” he said.

Tengco explained that the current administration has been doing its part to weed out illegal operators, resulting in a significant decrease in the number of licensees from 298 during the previous administration to only 43 licensees now.